A Marauder Hopeful and His Most Logical Friend
by Mia-Marauder-Potter
Summary: Dumbledore has died and Fred and Hermione are sent to look for his missing wand. When they find it, they're sent twenty years into the past. Through Marauders era and the second war and after. Obviously AU. Some events have slightly changed. From Marauders era past the end of the second Wizarding War. Being edited and reposted - major changes.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! This is an update. It's been a good long while since I've done anything on here with this fic. I have been, however, rewriting it in a way I feel I can continue it. Whenever I do finish that, it'll be posted as a separate fic altogether and I'll post an update on this one about that so you can give it a shot.**

 **That being said, this fic was the first fic I've ever written! It is by no means perfect. There are some cringe moments, some inconsistencies, some unfinished plot points, and a LOT of nicknames. Like, a lot of them. Too many.**

 **I hope you'll keep that in mind as you read (or reread!) and check out my other stuff! I've got two other Harry Potter fics and one Doctor Who fic. I've got... too much in the works. I am currently taking a break on the rewrite of this to write something else, another time travel fic, though I've also been writing and rewriting another fic that I really love. Most of these are Hermione based, because she's my favorite character to play with. I'm dividing my time between multiple different fics because my muse is fickle and I'd rather keep her as interested as possible than bore her.**

 **Anyways, back to the original notes!**

 **Special shout out to padfootl0ve (my sweet dear big sister) for first getting me into fanfiction and then giving me a reason to write some! (Funny story that I'll probably tell you guys later.)**

 **Anyways, I own nothing but the plot and any OC's later on.**

 **Enjoy!**

Hogwarts was mourning. The students and teachers, but also the school itself. The building seemed to droop, to let itself appear less than the cheery and well-loved place where the lost found a home and the hungry found the knowledge they so desperately craved. Old students returned for the funeral, but everyone knew it wasn't enough. They all knew it was the beginning.

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Hermione was wandering the grounds numbly. There were more people at the school than she'd ever seen before, but it had never felt more empty. Dumbledore was dead. The headmaster was gone, the mentor, the leader they all loved and needed had left them and Severus Snape had been the one to take him. She could remember that night, the night when Harry had walked into Gryffindor Tower with his eyes puffy and his right hand clenched around his wand, his fingers white. He stared blankly at her as he told her what he had seen, how Snape had killed Dumbledore and he couldn't do anything. It was the anguish in his voice that broke her.

So, three days later, Hermione wandered around the grounds, desperate to be anywhere but at the old man's funeral. Harry and Ron had each other, and she knew they could handle it together. She just needed _time_.

She was on the path to Hagrid's and stopped, sitting on a rock. She couldn't walk down there, not now. Hagrid's, more often than not, was a place for joy and companionship and peace. All there was now was coldness, anywhere she went. _No_. She can't think these thoughts; she can't analyze them. Not now. Singing. Singing is good…

 _"Oh Ms. Believer, my pretty sleeper_

 _Your twisted mind is like snow on the road_

 _Your shaking shoulders prove that it's colder_

 _Inside your head than the winter of dead…"_

She cut off sharply as she heard something behind her, pulling her wand.

"Blimey, Mione, it's me!" She looked at the mop of red hair and brown eyes before shakily lowering her wand and letting out a harsh breath.

"Fred, you scared me… Why aren't you with everyone else?" Hermione's caramel and honey eyes were softer looking at him, though she continued to shake a little.

"I don't like funerals. And I couldn't see you with ickle Ronniekins and little Harry Pie, so I thought I would come find you." He sounded so sad and it made her heart hurt just a little. Hermione had always had a soft spot for Fred, even if she never showed it. In all honesty, he was probably her favorite male Weasley at the moment. Lavender and "Ronniekins" were always off sucking each other's faces off.

"They… they couldn't find his wand. I was looking for it before…" she trailed off, not wanting to say it. Wizards and witches were buried with their wands, and everyone knew it would be a shame if the greatest wizard of the century didn't have his. "I could use some help if you like." He nodded a little before giving her a small smile.

"You gonna sing again?" She blushed softly at his words. She knew he had heard, but she really hoped he wouldn't bring it up. She never sang in front of people.

"You heard that?" he nodded and kept smiling. He really had liked it. He almost wished he hadn't interrupted. "Hey, has anyone checked the Forbidden Forest?"

"Um… No, I don't think so. But Fred, that's too far away from the Astronomy Tower." He just shrugged and began walking toward the forest. "Coming, Granger?" She blinked before running to catch up. It was better than doing nothing, she supposed.

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"You gonna admit I was right?" Fred smirked at Hermione, picking up their late headmaster's wand. She rolled her eyes. "I just don't understand how it got here! He… I know Malfoy," she spat the name with more venom than Fred thought was safe in such a small body, "disarmed him before Snape… but I thought it fell off the Tower with him. That's what Harry saw, anyway."

"Stop thinking about it so much, Granger. We found it, that's all that matters." She reached out for the wand, and everything seemed to stand still when her fingers touched the elder wood. Her eyes widened as she felt a familiar sensation at her core. She couldn't move or speak, and it seemed that Fred couldn't either. After what felt like hours, she felt the tugging sensation grow stronger and stronger until it felt like she was being ripped apart. She wanted to scream, but it wouldn't leave her throat. She couldn't be sure how long it lasted, but when it was over, she could feel herself closing down from the pain. The last thing she saw was the panicked and pained look on Fred's face before she blacked out.

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"Umm. Pads, do you see what I see?"

"Ya know Prongs, I think I do. I suppose we should go help, huh?"

A moment later, Fred could feel the cool touch of magic against his arm, and he groaned. It was a healing spell, that much he knew. "Mmmrah?" He asked cleverly.

"Prongs, this one mumbled! I think it's alive."

"Shut up, Pads. Is he awake yet or- "a squeal cut him off and Fred heard a distinct "oomph" from where the voice came from. _Time to open my eyes, I suppose._

Groaning, he leaned up and opened his eyes, feeling rather like Frankenstein from that muggle book his dad read to him as a kid. Taking in the scene, he saw two boys with raven hair. One had a smirk on his face and gray eyes, and the other…

"Harry?" Hermione! He knew that voice. He looked over and saw her frowning, lying on top of a disgruntled looking Harry. Or… not Harry? _What in the name of Merlin…?_

"Hermione?" he groaned and moved closer to her. She looked over at him, eyes wide, looking more afraid than he'd ever seen her. "Granger, what's wrong?" Instinctively, he put an arm around her and pulled her close. He knew the boys were staring, but it didn't matter much at the moment.

"Harry? Who's that? I'm James, James Potter."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! I'm posting the second chapter today in hopes of keeping my muse going. She's a bit finicky, this one. This chapter is a bit rough, but hopefully once the story starts moving it'll smooth out.**

 **Thank you, little loves, and enjoy!**

.

 **Chapter Two**

"J…James Potter?" Hermione's eyes were wide as she glanced between James and the other boy. "You're… Oh, Godric you must be Sirius." There was pain in her eyes when she looked at him, and Sirius gave her an odd look, but nodded anyway.

"MOONY! C'MERE!" Fred and Hermione both winced at the volume, and James gave them an apologetic look before turning to the sandy haired boy who looked rather annoyed as he walked to them a moment later.

"What is it, Pads? _I'm_ actually trying to take…" he trailed off, seeing the strange people on the ground looking rather disgruntled. "Ah." He walked over to them and kneeled, smiling kindly. Hermione's heart hurt.

"Remus." She breathed out quietly, so quiet that, if he had normal hearing, he wouldn't have heard.

"I'm.. Yes. Do I know you?" Her eyes widened as she realized what she said. Fred nudged her, giving her a comforting smile before turning to the Marauders and giving them his usual lopsided grin.

"I'm Fred! That's…" he paused for a minute, letting her take over, practically seeing the gears turning in her head.

"Mia. I'm Mia." _Mia?_

"Are you two alright? You look like you just came from a funeral," Remus joked softly before seeing the pain flicker across Hermione's face. "Oh."

"It's alright, we just… Oh Merlin, Fred, the wand!" she practically screamed, causing Fred and Remus both to wince, though Fred jumped up along with Hermione.

"Can you guys slow down? What's going on?" Sirius looked pained and confused.

"We… we lost a wand and-" Fred cut off, looking around a little before he caught sight of the wand on the grass. Carefully, he pocketed it before turning to see his old head of house approaching the small group.

"Mister Potter, Mister Lupin, Mister Black, you and your... friends are to report straight to the headmaster." McGonagall turned and walked away as suddenly as she had appeared.

"I'm… Fred, we have to see him anyway. We should hurry." Mia spoke gently, but he could practically feel the panic rolling off of her. He glanced up at three of the Marauders, sighing slightly. He'd dreamed of meeting them for years before he found out who they were, and now they were there in person, and he wasn't supposed to be there at all. "Fine. Let's hurry."

Fred and Mia stood shakily and began walking, both of them glancing back to the wary teenagers behind them.

"Come on, I think we may have gotten you three into trouble as well. Might as well get you out of it." Mia spoke to the animagi friends gently, and they followed, reluctant as ever.

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"Ice Mice." Professor McGonagall spoke the password clearly, and then waved the students ahead of her. Mia almost let out a sob when she saw Dumbledore with his back to her, and Fred awkwardly took her hand in his own, rubbing her palm gently with his thumb. Remus stared at them curiously, and Mia knew on some level that he could sense the pain, the loss, the confusion.

"Please, sit. It seems we have much to talk about." Dumbledore paused for all of them to sit, gave McGonagall a small smile of dismissal, then turned to sit at his own desk to watch them.

"See, there are some very strong wards against apparition or portkeys or really any other type of travel into the school, so you'll imagine my surprise when my own wand broke the wards down and two teenagers fell into the forbidden forest, only to have some of the school's favorite trouble makers to find them."

Mia paled at his words, tears forming in her eyes. She glanced at the young Marauders sitting on her right and took a shaky breath. "We shouldn't be here." She spoke the words once before taking a violent, sharp breath and repeating them. It was something Remus knew and understood: the girl was going into a panic attack.

"Sir, she's panicking!" Even as he spoke, he and Fred both moved closer to her and Remus grabbed the hand Fred didn't have. Dumbledore wore an expression of shock for a tiny moment before he moved to a cabinet, bringing out a Calming Draught. As Remus and Fred spoke meaningless nothings to calm her and James and Sirius looked on in confusion and worry, Dumbledore stepped forward and gently gave Fred the Draught, allowing him to help her drink it. Once the bottle was empty, Dumbledore returned to his seat and smiled kindly at her.

"I'm so sorry sir, it's just… We don't belong here." Mia gestured to herself and Fred, still calming her breathing.

"Don't worry. Why don't you take some deep breaths and let your friend here talk for you?" She nodded a little, still nervous, and began to focus on calming down.

"Professor Dumbledore… Sir, we…" he sighed in frustration and just pulled the wand from his pocket, giving it to Dumbledore with shaky hands. His old headmaster frowned at the sight, picking his own wand from his robe pockets.

"Ah. I see."

Sirius and James were looking back and forth, both helplessly confused. "See what? What's going on, sir?" James spoke calmly and respectfully, but Dumbledore just gave him a soft smile and shook his head a bit.

"Mister Potter, Mister Black, Mister Lupin, you're excused from your classes, but I must insist that you leave us to speak in privacy for a bit. If you wouldn't mind, I'm sure these two would appreciate it if you'd wait in Gryffindor Tower for them?"

The young Marauders all nodded, albeit reluctantly, and left silently.

"Now, if you don't mind me asking, why do you have my wand when I, too, have my wand?" Mia sighed, taking a deep breath, before speaking.

"There's no delicate way to say this, sir, but we've just come from your… funeral. Fred and I, we were put in charge of finding your wand. When we were both touching it, however, we were sent back in time. I _know_ that feeling, though it was accompanied with a great deal of pain this time. I wouldn't assume we were more than a few days back if it weren't for… James Potter, sir, and Sirius and Remus. We've gone back twenty years." Mia paused, taking a moment to collect herself. She knew she was on the brink of another panic attack, and she just couldn't handle it.

"Twenty years? Well, I'm glad to know I've lived to a nice old age. May I ask, has the war ended yet?"

His question made Mia go cold, and she tried to swallow down the pain in her chest. "No. No, sir, it's worse than ever." Dumbledore nodded, the twinkle in his eye disappearing.

"Well. I had hoped we could win it a bit faster, but nothing to be done, I suppose." He paused for a moment, as if waiting for them to correct him. When they didn't, he smiled once again and clapped his hands together. "I suppose we must enroll you in classes, don't you think? I believe sixth year will do well for you, Miss…"

"Granger, sir. Mia Granger."

He nodded. "Miss Granger. And perhaps seventh year for you, Mister…?"

"Erm… Weasley. I'm Fred Weasley."

Dumbledore's twinkle was back and he nodded. "I'll get your schedules, but if you wouldn't mind, I need to make a quick Floo call. It'll only take a moment." They nodded and he stood, walking to the fireplace.

Fred frowned at Mia, her small hand still in his large hand. "Mia? Where did that come from?" She shrugged, rubbing her forehead gently with her free hand. "I don't know, Fred, I panicked. It's not like you've been saying much, which is fine, but still." He shrugged helplessly, giving her a small smile.

"'Mione, we're with the Marauders." His smile grew into his trademark grin, and it set her at ease fairly quickly. She nodded a bit.

"Harry's mum and dad are alive, Fred. Everyone is. Do you think… maybe we could save them?"

Before Fred could respond, Dumbledore walked back in front of his desk and smiled. "I've found a family that is willing to take you in as their wards until you're grown. For your safety and to relieve any confusion, you'll be taking their last name for the time being. You've already met their son, James."

Mia's eyes widened to a comical size. "James… Potter? You mean… I'm sorry, Professor, I'm afraid I don't understand. You're saying we're going to be staying with the Potters?" Dumbledore simply nodded.

"Is there a problem with that, Miss Granger?" Fred shook his head, answering for her.

"That's amazing!" Dumbledore chuckled softly.

"Good. I've asked Mister Potter and Mister Black to return, and I've requested that their parents, Charlus and Dorea Potter, come visit to meet you."

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"Mum? Dad? What are you doing here?" Sirius frowned as he and James walked into the office.

"Well, love, Professor Dumbledore was explaining to us how there were two kids your age that needed a home for a while. We've decided to take them in." Dorea smiled at her sons, her tone final before they could even consider arguing.

"Wait…" James looked over at Mia and Fred and grinned brightly. "So you'll be like a brother and sister, huh? Cool! I was getting bored with this wanker anyway." He smirked at Sirius.

"Hey!" Sirius's grey eyes were bright with excitement as he brushed off James's remark. "That is cool though. What House are you in? Oh! What Quidditch team do you support?" Mia rolled her eyes as the boys quickly began to debate Puddlemore versus Chuddley Canons and walked over to Charlus and Dorea, a small, sad smile on her face.

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. It's so kind of you to take us in."

"Oh, no need to thank us, dear. And please, you can call us Mum and Dad if you like, or Charlus and Dorea. We're family now." Mia's eyes widened just a little bit, and she felt the sob from earlier form in her throat. She didn't trust herself to speak, so she merely nodded.

This was going to be long and hard, and she knew it. Her eyes drifted over to Fred, animatedly talking to his new "brothers" and she knew right then that as long as she had him, she might just be able to hold on.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey! So I'm posting this a day early (I think, I can't be bothered to check. I'm too tired.) because I'm bound to forget to do so tomorrow. I think once I'm in the swing of things and the story is going, I'll post on Sunday regularly and maybe Friday if I'm giving you guys an extra chapter, but I honestly don't know how often that'll be. My muse is a little… flighty, shall we say? She gets bored easily, poor dear.**

 **Anyway, there's 30 of you! What? God, you're all great!**

 **Reviews are appreciated. Thank you!**

 **Chapter Three**

By the time the Potters got to know Mia and Fred a little and catch up with their sons, curfew had passed and the prefects were out. Dumbledore wrote a quick note and sent them on their way. Mia was worrying her bottom lip between her teeth and walking ahead of the boys, her hand clenched tightly around her wand. After just a while with the Marauders, Fred seemed to be fitting in perfectly fine, while Mia had to work a bit harder. Remus, she knew, would be easy. Even back in her own time, she had felt the beginnings of a friendship. Not to mention he'd saved her life the night Dumbledore died. A death eater – Dolohov, she thought – sent a nasty dark curse at her. Remus had pushed her away just in time, but it had sliced her, giving her an angry scar on her hip.

Yes, Remus was someone she could be friends with. He was intellectual but he made sure she smiled, too.

James… She didn't know about James. From what she had seen, he was a lot like Harry. Reckless, for one. He was also very caring, kind of like the mother hen of the group, which was usually her job. She sighed. He would be easy, too. She could be friends with him, maybe close. But… Oh, Harry. It wasn't fair. He should be here, not her. She shook her head, clearing those thoughts. There was nothing they could do about it. She could make memories and show him in a Pensieve when she got back. Because they _would_ get back. She was nothing without Harry and Ron, and Fred… poor Fred. He was nothing without George. She decided she had to talk to him that night after everyone went to bed before she turned her thoughts to Sirius.

He was… interesting? Frustrating? Confusing? He had told her, and then Harry told her more, about the horrors that occurred in that damned house. The physical, mental, and emotional abuse throughout his entire childhood, leading up to a horrid day during Christmas break in his… Oh, Merlin, during his sixth year! She would have to do something, give him a way home to Potter Manor. Content with that task, she went back to analyzing. She knew how protective he could be for the ones he loved. She had seen it, even a little bit when Walburga Black's portrait had called her a mudblood and he had slammed the curtains down violently. She sighed to herself. She would protect him, and maybe even love him. She would keep him from as much pain as possible. Nodding, she moved on to the last Marauder.

Peter Pettigrew.

She had no clue what to do. She held so much… so much anger, hatred, so much of anything negative for him that she thought just releasing those emotions might make him explode. She would watch him, and watch him oh, so carefully.

She took a sharp breath, realizing she forgot to breathe. She blinked, realizing someone was now walking beside her. Looking to her left, Mia was surprised to see Sirius. He was silent, but he had a look that matched the one he had when he sat protectively next to his godson. "Hi." _Hi? You've been talking for hours! You already said hi!_

"I'm not gonna ask. Not today. Everyone deserves to have their demons, for a time. But you're hurting your hand, kitten, and you didn't really look like you were breathing there, for a minute."

Mia flushed, releasing the fist she was making and taking a deep breath. "Thank you. I'm just…" she sighed. This was already so hard. "I'm thinking. Sirius, can I talk to you, then, without you asking where I come from and stuff?" He nodded quietly. "My entire life since I turned eleven has been to… to protect and save my best friend, my brother. And now… I'm never going to see him again, Sirius. He's… gone, and I'm lost. Every year I saved his life, and he saved mine, too. The kind of bond that grows there, it's irreplaceable." She let her gaze fall to James, who was now walking ahead of them with Fred, talking animatedly about Puddlemore's recent match.

"Harry was, is, my best friend. He and I, well, I don't know. I haven't navigated this world without him. Sirius, I may have lost a lot in my life, and I may lose more thanks to Voldemort," Sirius visibly flinched, "Oh, honestly, it's just a name! Fear of a name increases fear of a thing itself!" She took another breath before continuing. " _Anyway_ , I've lost a lot and am fully prepared to lose more, but not him. He… Harry was my brother in all but blood. Everyone knew, if someone was to survive, it was him until the very end. All of us, we would give our lives to make sure he survived, and…" She trailed off, looking at him so very sadly, tears streaming down her face now as she stopped walking. "And some of us did, Sirius Black. Some of the people we loved so dearly gave their lives to save my best friend." She looked at James who continued to walk ahead with Fred. When she looked back at Sirius, she knew he had a million questions, and she knew she couldn't answer any of them.

"People die. It is war. But Merlin, I wasn't supposed to lose him. I don't… I don't know how to do this… without him." She finished, tears falling freely, and avoided eye contact. She had said entirely too much and knew he had a million questions, but she couldn't answer any of them. She sighed, turning to tell him she couldn't answer questions, but his large arms were suddenly wrapped around her, and he was lightly stroking her hair.

"I don't know what's happened to you, Mia, and I won't ask. I told you you're allowed your demons and I meant it. But understand this: you are officially adopted by the Marauders, and we will protect you. Maybe we can't measure up to your old friends and family, but I promise we… I promise _I_ will try… If you want, that is." Hearing his words, she couldn't speak. She wasn't sure why he wanted to protect her after having just met, but she thought it might have something to do with his future self and the bonds of friendship and family that everyone held. She would have to do some research, see if they could hold through time.

"I… I think you guys might be just what I need." She pulled away and gave him a shaky but sincere smile before breathing out softly. "We should hurry. James and Fred kept walking. They'll be wondering where we are."

Sirius nodded slowly before grabbing her hand for comfort and turning to walk back to the dorms. They hadn't made it half of the way from where they were before a prefect stopped them.

"Black, this is the third time this week that I've found you out of bed with a girl after curfew. I don't suppose you have a pass, do you?"

Mia turned, wide-eyed, as she came face to face with fiery red hair and brilliant green eyes.

 _Lily Evans._


	4. Chapter 4

**Ooookay. Maybe I should correct myself.**

 **At the very least, I will try for weakly updates. But as you can see, I have pretty much no self control when it comes to posting chapters. I just wanna keep posting them! So, I'll promise to post one chapter a week at least, but you could get a lot, like now.**

 **Also, I didn't exactly** ** _edit_** **that last chapter, so if you find mistakes that I've missed, feel free to point it out and tell me! I'll definitely appreciate it.**

 **Enjoy this extra chapter!**

 **Chapter Four**

"Er… James had it."

"Potter had it? He's in Gryffindor Tower. Is it a coincidence that you and your friend happened to lag behind enough for him to make the five minute walk from here without you?"

Mia sighed and took a deep breath, setting aside the emotions threatening to burst through. "I was upset and Sirius stopped to check on me. I don't think James noticed us stopping or I bed he would have helped me, too…" _Wait, she didn't mention Fred. Weren't they together?_ "Did you happen to see a tall redhead walking with James?"

Lily shook her head, looking like she didn't quite believe the story but also didn't want to accuse a girl she's never met of lying. "Why don't I escort you two back so you don't get into trouble?" At their nods, Lily turned on her heel and began walking.

They walked in silence, but it was harshly broken when they walked in to the Tower, James trying to yell over everyone to ask if they'd seen Mia or Sirius. When he kept yelling and didn't see them, Lily clenched her fists and walked over, pushing him off the table he was standing on.

"Potter! Will you shut up!? I found your friends!" Lily had to yell, too, but Mia just smiled as she watched James's face soften when he looked at her and nodded brightly.

"Thank you, Evans. I really appreciate it. D'you wanna see the pass Dumbles gave us?" Lily bristled at hearing James's name for Professor Dumbledore just as Mia did, but shook her head and walked toward the Fat Lady. She shot a kind smile at Mia. "I'll look for you after my rounds are over; I don't believe we've met." Before Mia could respond, Lily stepped out of Gryffindor Tower, probably glad for the quiet.

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"I nearly had a bloody heart attack! I thought Filch was gonna catch you two. We're lucky it was just Lilypad. Why'd you stop?" James and Sirius had gone up to their dorms to see Remus and Peter, leaving Fred and Mia downstairs to talk.

"Mia looked like she was having another panic attack. She wasn't breathing and she was holding her fist so tight I thought she was gonna bleed. I let her talk and she calmed down. I may have, uh, told her she was adopted by the marauders." Sirius rubbed his neck sheepishly. A marauder adoption is something all of them took very seriously. It meant they were family and they would be cared for and protected. It meant that they never had to fight battles alone and that they were trusted and could trust the marauders. So far, the only Marauder adoptions that had taken place were Marlene McKinnon and Frank Longbottom. Marlene was an old friend of James's and she had a not great home life. When she was at school, she didn't have it great, either. She was a Slytherin that spent all the time she possibly could in with Gryffindors and even spent a great deal of time in Gryffindor Tower. But when she went back to the dungeons, things weren't great. They were cruel and rude and they bullied her. She had taken to spending the night with Mary, Alice, and Lily. There were five beds in the dorm, so she took up one, and Mia would take the last one.

A Marauders Adoption was _always_ talked about and considered beforehand. Now… Well, Sirius was sure he was about to be yelled at.

"Oh, good. I was gonna ask you guys if we should. We should get Fred, too. He's fun, but he seems so sad. We can talk to them about it tomorrow." James said happily, leaving Sirius confused. "So, what did she say? She okay?"

"Who?"

"Mia, idiot."

"Oh, she told me about her best friend. Apparently they've been through… a lot. She said since she was eleven she has spent every year of her life protecting him from death, or something. They saved each other a lot and she doesn't seem too sure on how to live without him. I think… I think he died. I don't really know what's happened to her but… guys, it's bad."

Remus hummed quietly, frowning. "She's incredibly sad looking at you and James, and when she looked at me… I dunno. I would say it was hope, but I'm not sure." It was close to the full moon, Sirius reminded himself.

"But why would she be _sad_ looking at Sirius and I? We're beautiful to look at!"

"No, I noticed it, too. When we were talking she looked at us like she'd just come from our funerals. She was… crying." Sirius may not know what happened to her, but he knew he would protect her from then on. He had too.

"Is it really your right to know why? I know we're adopting her, but I don't think it's right trying to figure it out. Let her tell you in her own time." They all turned to Pete's bed and James sighed. They'd thought he was asleep, but he was right.

"Alright, alright. We'll leave it for now. Go back to bed, Wormtail."

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Mia didn't like it when Fred frowned, she decided. He looked too serious, and any trace of the smile that cheered everyone up was erased, like it never existed. He looked too dark, too sad like this. He looked… Oh, Merlin, he looked like _Percy._ She reached over and took his hand gently. "I'll do research tomorrow, I promise. We'll get home." He nodded absently, like he was trying to focus on something and she was just distracting him. She knew he was having a hard time. It must have just hit him what was going on and how far away they were from George. She had just had her moment of that earlier.

A few silent minutes later, and Lily walked in through the Fat Lady looking exhausted. She shot Mia a gentle smile. "Hey. Sorry it's so late. I… Some Slytherins were out." Her voice cracked o Slytherins, and Mia could guess who at least one of them was. "Are you knew, then?"

Mia nodded. "Me and my friend, Fred here, were homeschooled. For varying reasons, we both had to transfer here to finish school. I'm sixth year and he's in seventh. We're the Potters wards for now. That's why I was talking to Sirius and why he stopped to help me."

Lily nodded thoughtfully. "It's nice to meet you both," she smiled at them, though her eyes stayed on Fred more now. "Are you alright?"

Fred nodded and squeezed Mia's hand gently. "We're both a little anxious. A lot's happened today, and we haven't even been able to talk about it… like we normally do." Mia spoke quietly but made sure to give a hint. Leave us alone, it spoke quietly. Thankfully, Lily seemed to get it.

"Oh! Well how about I leave you two alone and come back in, say, a half hour? I'd say for the night, but someone has to show you to your bed and everything!"

"That would be lovely. Thank you, Lily." Mia offered a warm smile and Lily returned it as she retreated up the stairs to the sixth year girls' dorms.

Fred let out a breath that he had been holding and released Mia's hand.

"Mione, you're brilliant. You'll get us home, won't you?" The question was fragile, filled with anxiety and fear.

"I'll do my best. We certainly can't stay here, can we?" She scooted closer on the couch they were sitting on and nervously let her head rest on his shoulder. He was all she had from the future, and she would hold on with all her might. "We don't belong."

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 **Next time: Hermione goes to DADA and meets some… interesting… Slytherins, Fred and Hermione are adopted by the Marauders, and they meet Peter!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey! So, I'm not entirely sure** ** _when_** **Hermione got her wonderful beaded bag, so I'm gonna have it set for the day after Dumbles died. I can see her panicking and understanding everything can change and making sure she has anything her boys or she might need in a scrape or an emergency.**

 **So, while some of you might know when she actually got the bag, we're going to leave it as the day after Dumbledore died.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Five**

Mia woke the next morning with a distinct sense of excitement, one that matched the first day of her first year. Late last night, a trunk full of things had appeared for her. It had all of her school supplies including a uniform and anything else she would need, with a note from the Potters.

 _Mia,_

 _Albus told us that you didn't have any of your things from back home. He mentioned a fire? I decided you might need some of this immediately and sent Elma, one of our house elves, out to get you anything you would need. Later this week I'll be going out to get you some more personal things just to make you more comfortable, including a quick trip to our library for some books I think you might enjoy. Charlus and I wish you well and we'll see you at Christmas._

 _All my love, Dorea Potter._

Mia already knew that she would love Dorea, but the woman made sure to make her comfortable, and probably Fred, as well. With a small smile, she stood and pulled a crisp uniform from the trunk and walked into the bathroom. After a hot shower and a fight with her hair - which she won - she grabbed her books, stuffed them in the beaded bag she had gotten and charmed with an undetectable extension charm the day after Dumbledore died and left for the common room.

Mia sat on the couch and sighed at the empty room. After casting a _Tempus_ she resigned to closing her eyes for a bit as it was only six and no one would be down for about an hour.

"Moony, wake up!" Sirius grinned before waving his wand and levitating the blanket away from his friend.

"Fuck off, Padfoot."

"Isn't it a little early in the month for you to have claws?" Sirius smirked at the werewolf and dodged the pillow that was thrown at him, running in the bathroom. "Wake up Wormtail, too!"

With a deep sigh and after counting to ten, Remus hopped out of bed and grabbed his blanket, which Sirius had rudely thrown on the floor. He threw a pillow at Peter, waking him up, and sent a very mild stinging hex at James and Fred, who swore at him rather loudly in response.

"Hell of a way to start the day. Was that really necessary, Remus?" Fred whined at the sandy-haired boy, who just shrugged in response. It seemed none of them, except for a smug Sirius, were very awake.

Ten minutes later and Sirius was out of the bathroom and ready for the day. He ran down the stairs, leaving behind a group of very disgruntled and slightly cranky teenage boys. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he grinned at the sight of a sleeping Mia and walked over, lifting her feet and letting them rest on his lap after he sat down.

"Morning, Kitten."

Grumble.

"Little sleepy there?"

Louder, annoyed grumble.

"You know you're about to be invaded by a horde of Marauders. Maybe you should wake up, love."

Small grumble and a slight huff.

Sirius smiled triumphantly when Mia sat up, rubbing her eyes like a kid. Her loose curls were tied back in a high ponytail and out of her face. She sighed at him before scooting over and leaning her head on his shoulder, only to close her eyes again. Wandlessly, she muttered " _Tempus_ " and opened one eye, oblivious to Sirius staring at her with wide eyes.

"Sirius, I was trying to sleep for another hour. I still have a half hour," she whined at him quietly. When he didn't respond, she frowned and looked up at him, only to see the confused look on his face. "What?"

"Was that wandless, kitten?"

"Huh?" Mia thought back to the clock and swore under her breath. That was advanced magic, magic she learned on her own during her original sixth year. Not even Harry or Ron knew about it. "I… Um, yeah. That spell, you know, I do it in the early mornings when I can't sleep. Sometimes I can't… Er, I can't reach my wand, so I taught myself how to do it wandless." _Right, like he can't see how nervous you are about it. Pull it together, woman!_

"Right. Okay." Oh, he really didn't believe her.

Before she could say anything else or make any more excuses, Fred came barreling down the stairs and ran to sit next to Mia, a guilty grin on his face. "I did nothing," he whispered quietly to her. _That doesn't sound good…_

"FRED, GET BACK HERE AND FIX THIS!" Well, that doesn't sound good either.

"Sorry, dear, didn't catch that. Maybe be a little _louder_."

"Fred, what did you do? Oh, Merlin, tell me it wasn't a Puking Pastille." Fred was known to carry a decent amount of his… special treats around with him. The idea that some of them came with him to the past wasn't outrageous.

"Nothing of the sort, dear. Just a small charm." He glanced over at Sirius before continuing. "Sorry, mate. Hope you don't need anything from up there till tonight." He grinned at the other boy brightly as James came barreling down the stairs with a hairbrush stuck to his hand and his glasses lying crookedly on his face, a sock stuck halfway up his foot.

Remus was next to follow with a shoe on his hand and his toothbrush stuck in his cheek. He looked slightly amused but also annoyed with not being able to remove the brush mostly.

Then, slower than the others came a mousy haired boy. It looked like he had been sleeping when whatever happened, happened. There was a pillow stuck to the left side of his face and a blanket was draped down the front of him. The best thing, Mia thought, was the tip of his thumb stuck in his mouth.

At the sight of the three of them, Mia, Fred, and Sirius burst out laughing as Mia and Sirius turned to Fred. "That's bloody brilliant!" Sirius grinned. Mia stood and walked to James, gently pulling on the hairbrush. It didn't seem to hurt him, but it looked _very_ stuck. She pulled out her wand and silently waved it over James before turning to Remus and finally Peter. When she was done, she grinned at Fred.

"A modified and time activated sticking charm? That's… actually brilliant." Fred's eyes widened at the praise, but he recovered quickly and nodded.

"Set to my magical signature for release, too. Pretty good, if I do say so, myself. Which I do. Pretty good, Freddie!"

Peter was silent, probably not wanting to bite his thumb very hard, but he trudged over to a couch and fell on it, apparently deciding going back to sleep, and downstairs, was best for the day.

"So, what would happen if I touched someone or… hugged someone?" James grinned evilly, eyeing Mia before he ran after her, enveloping her in a warm hug that made her heart hurt. _Harry. He feels like Harry._ She relaxed into him without realizing as Fred shrugged.

"Nothing. Nothing more will stick to you guys."

With a sigh of defeat, James moved to release Mia, but she pulled him back in. James gave a look to Fred, whose bright grin had turned into a sad smile upon seeing her enveloped in the hug.

"Um, Mia? You're not stuck, kitten." Sirius spoke gently, but Fred just placed his hand on his shoulder and whispered something James couldn't quite hear, and Sirius nodded and left them alone.

"Mia? Are you okay?" He spoke softly, but James was truly worried. He could feel her hesitant nod and she jerkily retreated from the hug, turning away before he could look at her face. She ran up the stairs to the girl's dorm without another word, and everyone turned to Fred, who sighed back at them, shrugging.

In all honesty, Fred did know what was wrong. He could see it, too. She missed her best friend. He knew there was nothing strange and unknown that she had gone through without him before. She probably felt at home as long as he was there, and she was alone. Well, not alone. She had him. As much as he had wished in the past few years that she would know him as Fred and not one of the twins, he never wanted it to have to happen like this.

"She… She misses someone, her best friend. You look a lot like him. She'll be okay. She's the strongest person I have ever known." Fred sighed and sat down. He'd hoped his prank would cheer her up a little, make her feel more at home. She probably felt a little too at home from that hug.

"She told me about him, a little bit. Said his name was Harry. What… What happened to him?" Sirius spoke gently, and it was obvious he truly cared.

"We… lost him to time." An easy way of suggesting he died while not lying, Fred thought. "She misses him a lot. Honestly, I do, too. He was my friend, too, though not nearly as close as them. Thick as thieves, those two. She got attacked by a troll when she was eleven and he saved her. Kinda can't not be friends after something like that. He was her family, the one that understood her muggle side and her magic side." Fred hoped that, by telling them something, they would leave her alone about it. He looked at James and gave him a small smile while Remus and Sirius seemed to consider his words.

"You remind her of him, I think not just because of how you look but also because of how you act. You're a lot like him. She understands you're not him, but she needs you," he turned his gaze to all of them now, "She needs as much family as she can get. I've never seen her scared before now. I… I need help protecting her if you would." Merlin, Fred thought, this is why I avoid the serious stuff. No one is smiling.

"Well, we are adopting you two, aren't we? What else would we do?" Sirius smiled. "Surprise. You're being adopted by the most beautiful people in school." He grinned now, looking at Remus. "Oh, and Moony and Wormtail." Fred laughed at the indignant look and Remus's face and shrugged.

"I should probably warn you not to go back upstairs for a few hours. If you do, you'll get stuck to more stuff." With a glare from Moony and Prongs, Fred smiled at Sirius and sat down, content in waiting for Mia before moving.

"Mia? Mia, are you okay?" She heard Lily through her curtains and sniffled. This was _not_ how today was supposed to go.

"I'm fine, Lily. Just… nervous, I guess." Mia sighed and pulled back her curtain, letting Lily move to sit on her bed. "First day jitters is all."

"You sure?" Lily sounded genuinely worried. _Oh, Harry. Your mother is so sweet. I wish you could meet her._

Forcing a smile, Mia stood and grabbed her bag, heading to the stairs again. "Of course. Today will be great." She wondered if Lily could hear how little Mia believed that. Mia ran down the stairs with a small wave to Lily before she could say anything more.

At the bottom of the stairs, she shot a small smile at a waiting Sirius before walking over and sitting next to Fred and leaning in to whisper. "I'm okay. I just wish… I wish he hadn't been left there. He should be here to meet them, not us. But I'll buck up. Promise." She kissed his cheek gently before standing again, completely unaware of the werewolf with such good hearing so close to the full moon, and the frown on his face.

"My first class is DADA. I want to get there early to introduce myself to the professor." She walked out of the common room, leaving three sixth year Gryffindor boys to hurry after her and Fred sitting on the couch, his cheek tingling and a confused feeling in his gut.

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 **Hi! So I decided to post this chapter early and separate her first class and meeting the Slytherins into a different chapter, since this one is already longer than any others I've posted yet.**

 **I wanted to address some things about Fred and Sirius both.**

 **Fred – I know he is a very fun person, and I know he jokes a lot and makes people smile. However, he is without George in a time he's never been to with a girl he… well, that's a whole other story. Yes, he jokes and pranks people, but he's also forced to be a bit more serious with the situation. It might not be permanent, but he's more serious for now.**

 **Sirius – He also jokes a lot, I know, but he's got a serious and broken side to him. I won't be using the broken part much, honestly, but the serious side… Well, I'll need to. He sees the pain in Hermione's eyes and he knows from what she and Fred have both said that a lot of shit has happened to her. He's going to take up a rather protective stance with her, and so will James. Remus will be a bit… cautious, but he will also be close to them. Peter… well, that'll be a bit of a surprise.**

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I've got myself a beta! I promise after this chapter I will start sending them to her for the okay before I post. So, basically, much better and less confusing content.**

 **Beta love goes to padfootl0ve. No, really, so much love.**

 **.**

 **Chapter Six**

Mia slipped into the DADA classroom quickly, glad to see no one was in there. She had run all the way there, trying to avoid the boy's questions, and was subsequently out of breath.

"You're a bit early." Mia yelped quietly and turned, her eyes settling on a head of messy, bright red hair. _It can't be._

"Yes, well, I wanted to get here early and meet the professor. Which, er, I assume would be you?" _Smooth._ He cracked a familiar crooked smile, though, and nodded.

"I'm Auror Prewett. Fabian Prewett, that is." Ah, that makes sense. Ginny mentioned twin uncles who died before the end of the first war. But that means…

"Mia. Mia Potter." She sighed inwardly at the new name that her friends and their parents had agreed upon. If she were here, she wasn't planning on letting there be two of her.

"Lovely to meet you, Miss Potter. I happen to know there's a certain James Potter in this class. Any relation?" She frowned. They'd prepared for this, too, but she didn't like it.

"Yes, I'm his cousin. Er… distant, on the Black side. Very distant. They've taken me and a friend in after an unfortunate fire destroyed most of our town." They'd decided against saying it was simply Death Eaters. They felt like it would cause too much attention, that there would be too many pitying eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." He gave her a smile again, one that made her heart twist, and she realized they'd have to do something about Fred's hair. _Some charms and a few lies would work. Shouldn't be too hard._

"Merlin, Mia, you're fast!" James panted as he ran in the door, nearly running into her. Sirius and Remus were behind him, but Sirius didn't look to be bothered by running while Remus looked exhausted. With a pang Mia realized she didn't know when the full moon was, but looking at him she would guess no more than a week away.

"Yes, well, I do track." She replied dryly.

"You do what now?" James frowned at her, confused.

"Why'd you guys run? You've plenty of time to get to class at a normal pace." She rolled her eyes at them, not noticing the frown on Remus's face or the confusion in Sirius's eyes.

"Well, kitten, we thought that you had no clue where you were going. Thought you were going to get lost." Sirius's voice was careful, like he didn't want to poke a lion.

Cursing herself, Mia understood her mistake. She was new. Why would she have known how to get to the DADA classroom on her own?

"Yes, well, I seem to have an incredible sense of direction, don't I?" She worried her lip between her teeth and ignored any remarks, turning instead to Auror Prewett. "Sir, could I see you after class? I have a few questions about the coursework for the year." Successfully turning the attention from her slip for the moment – Remus was still eyeing her suspiciously – Mia gave the boys a small smile as their new professor agreed and other students began to slip into the room.

Mia sat down before her boys, letting them decide who would sit where. After a silent debate between the three, James sat next to her and Sirius and Remus sat together. She was relieved, she realized with a start, to have someone so familiar sitting next to her, even if he wasn't Harry.

It took another ten minutes before she realized she was sitting across the room from sixth year Slytherins, and that James was glaring at one greasy haired boy in particular. Suddenly, Mia wasn't so sure that today would go well.

"Alright, everyone! Pair up. We're going to dive right in. As you know, I'm here because there's a war. Now one of the most important things if you find yourself facing a death eater," James snorted, likely because he was glaring at a Death Eater right then. "is to make sure they don't know what you're sending at them. So we will be working on wordless magic today. We will only be using Expelliarmus at first. Now find your partners and stand across the room from each other."

Now James seemed to falter a bit in having chosen Mia as his partner. She gave him a smile before nodding at him and glancing at Sirius, who was making a show of asking her to be his partner. A slight nod and he pumped his fist in the air triumphantly.

Ten minutes and a decent bit of tired grumbling later, and the entire class was ready to start. Fabian gave them a little more description on how to cast wordlessly before leaving them be. Everyone started quickly and while some disarmed immediately, Mia knew they were whispering the word under their breath. She disarmed Sirius quickly and silently, though she made a quiet show of cursing, like she had said it without meaning to. A quick look at Auror Prewett told her that he wasn't fooled at all. With a sigh, she resigned to letting Sirius work on her for the rest of class and not trying again. She wasn't supposed to have all of the practical knowledge that she did. Theory, sure, she read ahead all of the time. Practical use of the magic, no.

Class was over all too quickly, and it had, surprisingly, no incidents with the Slytherins, though she could feel a few pairs of eyes on her back the entire time. Once the class had left, Mia pushed down the anxiety in her stomach and approached Fabian Prewett, knocking once before entering the office.

He really was a beautiful man, she thought. He had the Weasley – or was it Prewett? – hair and sharp brown eyes with a bit of sea green in them. He had a beautifully defined jaw line and cheekbones that could probably saw Sherlock's in half, and it was topped off with what Mia thought was the best smile ever.

"So, you had some questions for me?" His gentle words shook her out of her thoughts and she tried, and failed, to shove down the blush threatening her cheeks.

"Yes, well, I didn't have a very… standard syllabus back home. I was wondering what you've covered in the year so far and what you'll cover in, say, the next month or two? I'm usually very ahead and I don't like the idea of missing or being behind, you see."

He shot her a sweet but calculating smile, and she couldn't help but feel like he was reading every secret she had. After a long moment, he nodded and opened his desk drawer, pulling out a few papers. "This is what I've had planned so far. But Mia, if you don't mind me saying, you're already leagues ahead of everyone in your class. You flawlessly and silently disarmed Mister Black on your first try and then pretended like you didn't. I have to say, I'm not sure why you're holding back." His words were gentle, but Mia could feel the threat lying deep beneath them, and she could see the blatant suspicion in his eyes. With a sigh, Fabian stood and walked to the front of his desk, leaning against it and looking at her with the calculating eyes that she imagined him looking at potentially dark wizards with. But then, isn't that what she would be to him? She had come out of nowhere and become family to two of the most politically influential families, even if Sirius would be disowned at Christmas, and preformed powerful magic that no one her age could do without a second thought. And now, she thought bitterly, he's caught me lying.

"Do you need help, Mia?" His intention was clear: Are you in trouble?

"I…" she faltered. She _did_ need help. She just couldn't get it, could she? No, she would need to go this alone… Er, with Fred, that is. "No… No, I'm fine." _Good thing I'm not in Slytherin. I can't lie to save my life._

"Mia, I hope you know that you're a really bad liar." Her eyes widened and she went to deny it, but someone knocked on the door.

"Mione?" _Fred. Oh, no…_

"Fred, no! I'll be- "She cut off as he came into the room, his smile faltering as his eyes fell on Fabian.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

He'd seen pictures of his uncles plenty of times. He remembered one in particular, one in Hogsmeade when Fabian had been playing Professor during the war. He remembered his Uncle Fabian holding Percy in his arms as he laughed at Bill and Charlie's antics. He remembered that it was the happiest picture he'd ever seen. He'd never seen someone look more content than his Uncle had at that moment in the picture.

But now… Now his uncle looked worried, he looked like he was trying and failing to save a lost puppy. Which led his gaze to… to Hermione, who looked like she was about to freak out.

There was a moment of silence that lasted way too long, silence that hurt his ears and made him want to scream, if only to end it. Finally, Fabian cleared his throat, looking at Fred in confusion, though he addressed Hermione… no, Mia. "Miss Potter, do you know him?" his voice was tight, and Fred imagined he recognized his hair.

"I… Yes. This is… Fred." She finished shortly, feeling useless.

"Is there something you'd like to tell me? Would you care to explain…" he gestured to Fred lamely, obviously referring to the broken look on his face and the sadness in his eyes, not to mention the hair. Merlin, why did hair have to be so telling?

"I'm… not sure I'm allowed to, sir." They had, of course, spoken about telling people. While Dumbledore discouraged it, he couldn't truly demand they keep quiet. Obviously Mia had agreed with the Headmaster's suggestion.

"Uncle Fabian." Fred said softly, cringing at the frustrated and panicked look on Mia's face. He moved to the side to avoid being hit by her and refused to look at her.

"Uncle… What?!"

Fred shot Mia a pleading look, but she merely shrugged and sat down, taking some deep breaths. "You're the one that messed up. I'm not fixing it."

Fabian shot a look at Mia, but he quickly caught the serious expression on her face and the anxiety in her eyes. He pulled his wand from his robes, training it on them suspiciously.

"Who are you?" the Auror demanded loudly.

"I'm… Fred." Before he continued, he mouthed 'sorry' at Mia. "Fred Weasley, twin brother of my dearest George, although the wanker was apparently too lazy to take a jog to the seventies. I'll tell ya, it's pretty cozy here, aside from Voldepants first reign of terror and all," he knew he would pay for the joking tone later, but it seemed to be the only way he could handle looking at…

"I… You're… First…?" With a sigh, Mia stood and walked to the confused Auror, placing a comforting and awkward hand on his arm.

"We weren't meant to say _anything_. It's not… safe." Well, Mia thought, the worst that could happen is he thinks we're insane and sends us to St. Mungos.

Fred nodded a little, and an uncomfortable silence settled on them for a few minutes before Fabian interrupted it abruptly. "What are you saying? Who are you?" He still had his wand out and on them, but he was staring at Fred, who was pleading at Mia with his eyes. With a resigned sigh, she nodded. "But only if he takes an Unbreakable Vow first." Fabian frowned at that, obviously weighing the pros and cons. After a few silent moments, he nodded, to Mia's surprise.

"You… really?" After a short nod and after he wiped the uncertain look off his face, Mia pulled out her wand and waved Fred over, asking Fred to do the Vow with him. Once they held their arms together, she began.

"Do you, Fabian George Prewett, promise to never reveal the secrets told to you in confidence today?"

"I do." After a moment of consideration, Mia decided not to add anything more and silver tongues of flame shot from her wand down their arms, sinking into their skin as the Vow accepted his words. When they were finished, Mia and Fred both sighed in relief, like they'd been dying to tell someone.

"We're from the future."

"Fred! Couldn't we ease him into this?!" Mia berated her friend, who simply shrugged at her.

"You're- what? You're... What?!" He stared at them both, obviously looking for any tells of a lie or a joke. He found nothing. "The future," he said slowly, "and you said your name was… Fred?"

"Frederick Gideon Weasley. My brother is George Fabian Weasley, but like I said, he stayed behind. Not that… well, Mione and I didn't mean to come here."

"Would you stop calling me that? It's not my name anymore! And I've told you, I hate nicknames."

"It's not my fault! You just up and picked a new name without telling me and _how_ am I supposed to get used to that? Mia is so close to Mione!"

"It's only close by a couple of letters, Fred!"

"It's close enough for me to forget! I thought you hated nicknames! Mia sounds like a nickname!"

"Would you two shut up?!" Mia flushed and Fred sighed, letting her take over. He would rather avoid an argument.

"I'm sorry. Anyway, as he said so _bluntly_ , we are from, er, a different time. 1997, to be exact. It was an accident, I promise, seeing as I got rid of my Time-Turner _years_ ago after Sirius because time _is_ tricky, seeing as he was supposed to be Kissed and we helped him get away, just imagine what would have happened if he had died! So, really it's for the best that Professor McGonagall took it back from me, even if it would have helped my studies along quite a bit- "

"Hermione!"

Mia turned to Fred who was looking at her warily. "What?"

"You're rambling."

"Oh. Sorry. I'm nervous." She shot a small smile at Fred before turning back to his uncle. "So… I guess, what questions do you have? We might not be able to answer _everything_ , but we can try as much as possible."

Fabian sat down again, rubbing his forehead, before turning back at Fred. "You called me Uncle Fabian." And Mia winced. She had really hoped he hadn't caught that.

"You're Mum's brother, same as Uncle Gideon. Me and Georgie, we're not born yet here, is all."

"Georgie and I, Fred."

"You and George what?"

"No, your grammar."

"What about it?"

"It's _wrong_."

"Oi! My grammar is perfect!"

"Do you two ever stop?" Fabian was still rubbing his forehead, but he looked extremely amused by their bickering.

"Not really," they said together, making Fabian chuckle.

"Okay, say I believe you. You're my nephew? Who are you, then?" He gestured to Mia.

"I'm… A friend of Fred's. And your other nephew, Ron. And your niece, Ginny. Though Bill and Charlie act like older brother's all the time, which is really quite nice, seeing as I'm an only child. But Percy is a bit of a prat, really.

Fabian smiled warmly at her. For whatever reason, he seemed to believe them so far.

"And he called you Hermione because?"

"Because it's my real name. When we arrived here, which was bloody painful and I honestly think I bruised a few ribs, I blurted out to James and Sirius that my name was Mia so that, in a few years, there wouldn't be two of me. Well. _Physically_ there will be two of me, but not the same age or really the same name." Fabian nodded a little, processing everything.

"So how did you two get here?" And he saw them share a look, sadness sprawled across their features before Fred wiped it off and spoke confidently.

"An old wizard messed with his wand and we got sent back. I think it was an accident."

"It was _not_ and accident and if it were, it would be karma for all of _your_ pranks. Though, why I would be sent with you escapes me." Fabian's eyes lit up at the word 'prank', but he didn't say anything about it.

"So, an old wizard messed with his wand, you two got it somehow, you're sent twenty years into the past, you," he points at Mia, "change your name, you enroll in school and, what? What do you do now?"

Mia and Fred exchanged uncertain looks before Mia began speaking, slowly and very carefully, as if she had to pick the exact right words or the world would end. "Time… is fickle. Things happen because they've _already_ happened. So us being here, it's already happened. So… we do what we have to do to make sure that our time," she pointed to Fred and herself, "happens… but I… we… will do everything in our power to save anyone we can." She finished, staring Fabian in the eye with a bit of a creepy determination.

"So you're saying… everything is inevitable? Hermione, why didn't you tell me this before?!" And suddenly, Fred was angry, extremely angry and Fabian didn't understand it, unless…

"There's a war." Suddenly it made a little more sense to Fabian. "There's a war going on right now, and you," he spoke gently, like something would break if he didn't. "you seem to be leagues ahead of everyone else. Is… Is the war still going in twenty years?" His voice was a whisper now, and it seemed that his question was more of a statement. When Mia gave a small, jerky nod, Fabian swore loudly and covered his face with his hands.

"It… it stops. For thirteen years, but he comes back. Harry – he's my best friend, my brother – and Ron and I, we were…" Mia paused, shooting a look at Fred, "Bill was getting married at the end of summer, and we were going to go on the run. To find… some objects. The ministry is of no help. It's nearly over run with Death Eaters now, and Voldemort," Fred and Fabian both flinched a bit, and Mia rolled her eyes. "Fear of a name increases fear of a thing itself! Get used to his stupid name! Anyway, he'll be able to find Harry so much easier when he turns seventeen, so we were going to stay on the move and find these objects so that we can kill the bastard. Er, Voldemort, not Harry."

Fred was taking slow breaths, seemingly trying to calm down. "And none of you _ickle children_ thought it would be nice to tell, oh, I don't know, my mum or at least George and I?! You-Know-Who wants you three dead, and you plan on running off together? Wouldn't it be safer at the Burrow?!" He was yelling now, and Mia flinched at every sharp word, her hands curled into fists.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was a shaky whisper, and she refused to look at him. _This was exactly why I didn't want to tell anyone. They wouldn't let us go, and we_ have _to get the horcruxes! Maybe… No, the Order will need the twins and Ginny will have to go back to school. That's assuming Fred and I even get home…_

Mia was shocked out of her thoughts when she felt a large hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Fabian smiling down at her comfortingly. He didn't even understand what was going on, but he was comforting her? She was somewhat amazed, especially considering how calm he was. He really was quite beautiful, and he wasn't much older than her, maybe three years… in this time, that is.

"Why don't we change the subject for now? I still have plenty of questions." Mia nodded gratefully and rested her hand on his, using it to ground herself and gather her thoughts.

"Of course. What else do you want to know?"

"I would like to know why my… _nephew_ looked at me like he was seeing a ghost."

"Oh." Avoiding Fred's gaze, Mia looked up at Fabian sadly, readying herself for the lie she was about to tell. "Well, Dumbledore sent you on some sort of mission for the Order, and we haven't seen you or Gideon in months, is all. He was just surprised." She felt sick lying to him, but she couldn't tell him the truth. She saw Fred nod dumbly, and Fabian seemed to accept her answer with a smile.

"Well, hasn't happened yet, so I'm right here. But I'm afraid the next class is about to begin, so we'll have to finish this talk another time, yeah?" He stood and walked behind his desk, handing Mia the papers for class he had gotten for her earlier. "If you need anything else, just come to my office after class, and I'll see what I can do."

Fred and Mia both seemed to accept the obvious dismissal and left quietly, Mia thanking him for the material. They walked together silently, Mia apparently deciding to skip her classes for the rest of the day and Fred appearing to not have planned to go in the first place. When they got to Gryffindor Tower, they sat down on a couch in the empty room – Peter was nowhere to be seen, likely in his room – and Fred turned to her, confusion and hurt on his face.

"What the absolute _fuck,_ Hermione?!" He shouted at her, ignoring her wince at how loud he was and curse. "We could have told him, saved him and his brother!"

"No, we couldn't! Don't you understand?! It doesn't matter what we do! Nothing will change. I experienced it third year with the time turner! Sirius was _meant_ to be saved, or it wouldn't have worked! I… I know who they are, and I am so sorry, Fred, but… they have to die."

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Remus paused as he entered the Fat Lady, his hand on the portrait as he heard someone shouting angrily. At the volume, he turned to leave until he heard another voice, this one sounding… broken?

"…don't you understand?... experienced it third year… Sirius was meant to be saved… I am so sorry… they have to die."

Remus's eyes widened as he recognized the voice. _Mia_.

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 **Hey! Okay, so this is the longest chapter I've ever posted. I just need to share a few things with you really quick and then I'll be out of your hair.**

 **So, Fabian. He's pretty quick to believe and trust them, even if he's got his wand at the ready, right? Well, there's a reason. He can feel the familial bond with Fred, which is pretty damn strong right now, and confusing. So he trusts them quickly and easily. Plus, it's easier on the story and takes away some nasty and quite frankly, not so fun chapters if he trusts them.**

 **Now, I know Hermione and Ron don't find out about Harry's hunt for the horcruxes until way later, but in my story, for convenience purposes, Harry told them about it in his grief the day after dear Dumbles died, and they strong armed him into letting them come.**

 **Anyway, I think that's all. Have a wonderful day!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Yes, as my sister said after reading the last chapter, poor Remus. The little sweetie is getting** ** _all_** **the wrong ideas about Mia, and it is war, after all.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

 **Chapter Seven**

Mia had spent all day in her dorm room after her argument with Fred. He was furious with her, and she couldn't blame him. She was telling him that they couldn't save anyone, and it understandably upset him after meeting his dead uncle.

Still, she hated him being angry with her. He was all she had of her own time, and they were supposed to stick together.

She stayed in her room, reading or sleeping, until dinner. She was too hungry to skip another meal, so she pulled her robe back on and walked out of the room, thanking every founder and magical deity that the common room was empty.

She took the long way around, hoping that she could avoid seeing any Marauder on the way as she really didn't feel much like talking. After a few minutes, she found herself walking past the mostly empty dungeons to the Great Hall. She kept to herself as she passed a couple groups of Slytherins, but her steps faltered as she reached an alcove where two students were looming over a boy – a fifth year? – who was on the ground with some cuts on his face. She recognized that position easily, and pulled her wand on the bullies, shooting the Bat Boogey hex at the two of them before they could even react. When they turned around to yet, or maybe go to the infirmary, she saw they wore Gryffindor ties.

Shaking her head, she just stared at them. "Madame Pomfrey can fix that, but don't ever bully again. It makes me sick, especially since you're in _my_ house." The bullies, for whatever reason, didn't put up much of a fight. Presumably because of the hex worsening with every breath – an improvement that Ginny had loved.

Mia kneeled before the fifth year, holding her hand out. "Are you alright? I'm so sorry for them. They give Gryffindor a bad name. Two on one, not giving you a chance," she shook her head sadly, sincere worry in her eyes. "They're cowards. How they got into my house, I'll never know." She raised her wand to heal him, but he frowned and shoved her hand away.

"Don't bother. What do you want?"

Mia blinked. "What?"

"What do you want from me?" the boy stood up – not the easiest feat, it seemed – and stared at Mia, looking annoyed.

"I… Nothing. I just hate bullies." She sounded uncertain and pointed her wand at his face again. "And your nose looks broken. _Episkey!_ " She fixed his nose before he could refuse and heard the telling crack of the bone snapping back into place. " _Scourgify_!" She cleaned the blood off of his face quickly, while he was still in shock over his nose. "You should get some Dittany for the cuts on your- gah!" Before she could finish her sentence, he shoved her into the alcove and glared at her.

"Stop! Stop helping me, Lion." He snarled at her, but she didn't even hear his words. She stared at him, dumbstruck. He had long, obsidian hair tied back with a leather tie. His eyes were a sharp, silver grey that pierced her soul. He had sharp, aristocratic features which were twisted into a sneer, but she could tell it didn't fit quite right.

"Regulus Black." She spoke his name like it was smoke escaping her lips, and there was a painful sadness in her eyes that confused Regulus.

"Do I know you?" His words were a little softer, but they were still demanding and confused.

"I… No, you don't." _But_ I _know_ you _. Know of you. I know that you have a good heart, I know that you died trying to stop a war that you shouldn't have been a part of. I know I want to save you, Regulus._

"Then why did you help me?"

"Because you…" _deserve saving._ "You were in trouble." She smiled at him a little.

"I was fine, Little Lion." The edge from his voice was gone now, and all she could think of was wanting to help him, wishing she could save him.

"You need dittany, Regulus. I might…" she trailed off, pulling out her bag and shoving her arm down in it, pulling out a clear vial of liquid after a few moments. "Ah ha! Knew I had some in here." She opened the vial and, before he could protest, put a drop on each of the cuts on his face. After a second of grumbling, he straightened up to watch her drop the vial back in and turn to him again.

"Why do you have Dittany in your bag? Couldn't you just go to Madame Pomphrey?"

 _Because if Harry, Ron, or I get hurt on the run, we might need to heal quickly._

"Well, sometimes she's busy or I find someone else needs healing who, like you, seems to not like the idea of being healed." She bent down and picked up a few fallen books, her eyes falling on a certain one. "Advanced Potion Making? Aren't you a fifth year?" Her curious eyes met his sharp grey ones and she shivered. They were too piercing. She felt like he saw her mind every time he looked at her.

"Yes, but I skipped a year in Potions. It's not that hard once you get the hang of it."

She sighed. Potions was the one class she couldn't claim to be confident about. "I can't get it. I'm great in all of my classes, but potions… I'm usually a little lost, especially since I just transferred here and I'm behind, which is rare, mind you. "

He gave her a crooked smile that looked way too much like Sirius. "I can help you out, if you like. I don't have a lab partner, so we can sit together and I'll talk you through." He seemed to have dropped his guard a bit, and Mia grinned.

"That sounds great. Thank you."

He gave a small nod and grabbed his books, tilting his head at her. "I never caught your name."

"Mia."

"Just Mia?"

She grinned at him. "For now."

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James frowned, staring at Remus like he was insane. "Wanna try again, Moony?"

"I'm serious, Prongs, I think they're Death Eaters!"

" _Why_ do you think they're Death Eaters?"

"Okay, look, it's just suspicious. They appeared out of nowhere in the Forbidden Forest during class, Dumbledore calls all of us to his office, and they showed him _his wand_ , at which point he kicks us out and talks to them in private."

"Exactly," Sirius said quietly, "Dumbledore talked to them himself. Don't you think he would know if he were letting Death Eaters into the school?"

"Not necessarily. Snape is here, isn't he? And the Carrows, and Avery, and McNair, and Dolohov, and pretty much every pureblood Slytherin in the school," James pointed out carefully.

"See? So they could've tricked him. But that's not all. Mia knew exactly where she was going this morning, remember? She ran to the DADA classroom and then her only excuse was a good sense of direction."

"Maybe it was a fluke, Moony. A coincidence."

"Maybe, but I went back to the common room to rest after lunch and I heard them talking. It was bad. Mia sounded… she didn't sound good, and Fred was angry. She said 'Sirius was meant to be saved' and then… She said someone had to die."

Silence fell in the room as James and Sirius pondered their friend's words.

"Are you sure?" Sirius stared at him, eyes boring into the side of his head.

"Dead sure."

"Did you _have_ to phrase it like that?"

"Shut up, Prongs, this is serious." Remus sighed.

"No, I'm Sirius." Padfoot grinned triumphantly at the groans from his friends.

"Not the time!" Remus snapped at him.

"Look, I trust them. I know it _sounds_ bad, but I'm sure they have a perfectly good explanation, Moony. If you're really so worried, we can trap them after dinner and demand answers." With a sigh, Remus reluctantly agreed and they sat back and ate the dinners that James snuck up from the kitchens.

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It didn't take Mia long to eat. She had no one to really talk to, aside from polite chit chat with Lily, so she ate quickly and decided to relax in the Room of Requirement for a while, so she made the quick trip, asked the room for a roaring fire and a library, and relaxed in a big, soft chair with a book the room provided on time travel.

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It had been three hours, and Mia was nowhere to be seen. James had begun to wonder if it really had been a fluke and Mia managed to get lost, when Fred walked into the room, frowning to himself.

"Have you seen Mia? We wanted to talk to the two of you."

"No."

"Well, will you help us find her?"

"No."

"Er, James? She's not here."

"I know she's not here, idiot, that's what I'm saying."

"No, she's not _here_." Sirius waved to a paper in his hand, and James's eyes widened. Fred looked over and saw what he was looking at.

The Marauder's Map.

But if she wasn't on it, that means she was…

"If I take you to her, will you let me leave and go to bed?" Fred raised an eyebrow at them.

"Swear it on Padfoot's grave."

"Hey!"

"Shut up, Pads, this is serious."

"No, _I'm_ Sirius. I've told you a million times."

Everyone in the room rolled their eyes, and Fred waved his hand at them impatiently, walking down the stairs.

After a short walk, Fred began pacing in front of a tapestry, and the Marauders thought he was very possibly insane.

"Um, Fred?"

After two more turns around, a door appeared, and Fred smirked. "C'mon, let's make sure she's in there. Then I'm leaving."

"Aye, aye, Captain."

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Mia had fallen asleep with the book on her lap. It was a particularly deep sleep, because she didn't hear the door creak open. She didn't hear the quiet footsteps coming toward her. What she did hear, however, was some loud cursing and someone crashing to the floor.

Mia pulled her wand out and silently and wandlessly disarmed the people in the room all at once, catching the four wands in her hand expertly before she saw who it was.

"Oh."

"What was that for?!" Sirius pouted at her, standing on the other side of the chair she had been sitting on.

"Nothing, I… I didn't know it was you guys." Her grip tightened on the wands, though, as she watched Remus prodding a seemingly reluctant Fred in front of him.

"Merlin, Mia, that was silent and wandless! How did you do that?" James sounded amazed.

"I'm… What do you guys want?" she looked between them before her eyes settled on Remus, finally noticing the look on his face. "What's wrong? Why's Fred with you?"

"Gee, thanks."

"No, you prat, you're mad at me. I don't care if you're- ugh." She gave up and rubbed her face with her free hand, still holding their wands hostage. She didn't trust Remus, not right now. She was pretty certain that if he had his wand, it would be trained on her.

"You two have some talking to do. And I'll need you to show me your left arms." And it clicked for her. Sure, she had been a little sloppy in covering her tracks, but why on earth would he think they were Death Eaters?

She lifted her sleeve carefully, shifting the wands to her left hand. She shoved the clear skin at him, proving herself. After a second, Fred did the same, and Remus relaxed a little bit.

"Okay. Who has to die?" He asked bluntly, taking note of the shocked and pained look on Mia's face and the angry one on Fred's.

"How did you… We were alone!" _Great defense there. He totally trusts you now._

"I have good hearing. Now answer the question!"

Mia glanced at Fred, and he did something he would regret.

"I wonder what would show on the Map if you were out of the room, _Mia_." His voice was disturbingly calm for the amount of anger it held, and her eyes widened, realizing what he was trying to do. "No!" It was all she could think of. _Why does that damned Map have to screw this up?! I could've just… Shit!_

"Wh… Map? How do you know?"

"You had it out earlier, I just took a guess." Fred lied easily, convincing even Remus.

"What do you mean, though? Are you saying this is why we couldn't find her? Because she was in here?"

Fred nodded as Mia looked on in horror. This was _not_ supposed to happen!

And she let her guard down, giving Remus time enough to hit her wrist gently, but hard enough that she dropped all of the wands in her hand. He grabbed them swiftly before any hit the ground, and handed them back out… except for Fred's. He pocketed the dark wand and turned to Mia.

"Would you mind stepping out of this room for a minute, Mia?"

"Yes, I actually would mind, Remus."

"I'm sorry, but I must insist." He felt bad, actually, but he trained his wand on her. He could see her warring within herself, probably debating fighting him. Eventually, and extremely reluctantly, Mia walked toward the door and out of the room.

Fred nodded at Remus, and the sandy haired boy pulled out the Map, muttered 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,' and stared down at it.

"So, what's it say, Remus?"

"Who is… Hermione Granger?"

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 **Dun dun dunnnnn!**

 **So, I had been gonna leave it here for the night, but padfootl0ve told me she would hack into my account and mess with the story if I did, so I'll get another chapter out.**

 **I know my chapters are a little rough, but hopefully my finicky muse will calm down and I can smooth it out for you. In the meantime, I appreciate you sticking with me!**

 **I hope you enjoy, and remember, reviews are friends!**


	8. Chapter 8

_"Who is… Hermione Granger?"_

 **Chapter Eight**

Mia could feel the anxiety bubbling in her gut as they left the Room of Requirement. She knew what was about to happen, and she felt sick. When he asked, though, when she heard her real name… It felt like everything stopped. It wasn't right. This wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to know her.

And then the moment passed and the panic and anxiety set in. She didn't say anything, just walked silently back into the room and let them follow her. When she sat down, all of the boys followed her lead.

"My name is Hermione Granger. I am a muggleborn and the brightest witch of my age." She refused to look at Fred, who had the grace to look guilty and ashamed. "I mastered silent casting before my sixteenth birthday and wandless magic before my seventeenth. I am seventeen years old. I have been taught at Hogwarts since I got my letter when I was eleven."

"That doesn't make sense, Mia. You just started here," James protested softly.

"My name is Hermione Granger, and I was born on September 19, 1979."

There were three sharp gasps, but Fred just looked at her sadly, like they'd just dug their own graves.

"That's… impossible." It was Sirius, and he looked torn between desperately wanting to believe her, and letting logic encompass him.

"I assure you it is not impossible. Don't you remember Frederick," using his full name didn't bode well for him, he thought. "pulling Professor Dumbledore's wand out of his robes?"

The boys nodded uncertainly. Remus had dropped his defensive stance, his wand held at his side now.

"He… I'm sorry." Mia's voice cracked as she fought tears. She couldn't cry. The anxiety and sadness couldn't win right now. "A Death Eater killed him at the end of my sixth year. At his funeral… Fred and I went to find his wand so it could be…" her voice cracked as she was taken by a sob. Fred stepped in now, allowing her to collect herself.

"So it could be buried with him. When we were both touching it, it brought us back here. When… Remus, what you heard…" And Mia took over again, sparing him the task of telling the Marauder's about his uncle.

"People die. This is war, and Voldemort- "everyone in the room, bar Mia herself, flinched, but she ignored it. "kills a lot of people. Fred saw someone and we argued. We _can't_ save people; it's not how time works. When he and I were talking, I mentioned Sirius." She glanced at him, her eyes sadder than ever. "In my third year at Hogwarts, you're in danger and Harry and I saved you using a Time-Turner… Which is a legal form of time travel, if you've got permission from the ministry, which I did. But the only reason we were able to save you is because we already did. Time isn't malleable, not really. It's fixed. So even… even though we know some people are going to die, we can't… save them…" her voice broke again as she fought the tears, refusing to look at Sirius or James.

"You… saved me?" Sirius stared at the girl, wide eyed. "I owe you a life debt?" He didn't sound bothered by it, but Mia tensed.

"No… You don't. Not now. You did in the future. Just as I owe Remus a life debt in the future, not that he'll let me do anything about it." She seemed annoyed by that fact, but Remus's eyes were wide.

"What do you mean, you owe me a life debt? What happened?"

Mia sighed as she looked at him, glad for a place to look, and lifted her shirt up to show a nasty purple scar on her ribs. "June 18th, 1996, my friends and I fought Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries." Her voice was shaking as tears flowed freely down her face. "Dolohov hit me with a curse that would have killed me. Sirius healed me as best as he could before… before returning to battle to find Harry."

She kept her eyes steady, not bothering to wipe away her tears. "June 31st, 1997, Bellatrix threw another dark curse at me," she motioned to her hip where there was another angry scar. "Remus pulled me out of the way before it could hit me too badly."

Fred moved closer and Mia didn't bother pushing him away. He was the only one there who knew everything. He wiped some tears away with his thumb and wrapped an arm around her.

"Bellatrix killed someone very important to Harry, someone important to me. She tortured… she tortured a friend's parents into insanity. She rejoiced over Dumbledore… his death. She is the worst kind of person that there is in the world, and someday I will kill her."

Even though she was crying, the Marauders could see and hear the determination, the steel in her eyes. She just made a promise and none of them doubted she would follow through.

"Good. The world will be better without her." Sirius spat.

Mia closed her eyes tightly, willing the tears to stop. When they finally did, she smiled at them all.

"The world isn't all bad. Hogwarts is great when something isn't trying to kill Harry, and the wizarding world is nice, forgetting the bigoted pureblood traditions and values. The war was gone for years, you have to understand."

"I know him." Sirius stated, frowning at Mia.

"Huh?"

"You said I went back into battle… after Harry. I know your best friend."

"I… Yes." Mia said lamely.

"How?" he frowned at her.

"Padfoot, maybe now's not the time." James suggested gently, and Mia nodded.

Remus shook his head, frowning. "I just… I don't get it. You're from the _future_. How can you two accept this so easily?!" He stared at his friends, who shrugged in unison.

"Dunno, mate. Just makes sense."

"Yeah, I mean, they've kinda proved themselves." James added.

"How? All they've told us is some admittedly shitty stuff and showed some scars." Remus pointed out shortly.

Mia sighed. All or nothing now. "You're a werewolf," she pointed at Remus before turning to James and Sirius. "And you two are animagi… along with… _Pettigrew_." She tried to get rid of the distaste in her voice, but she wasn't sure it had worked.

There was silence in the room as they tried to process her words.

"And you… aren't afraid?" Remus asked carefully.

"Merlin, mate, get over yourself. You're a little extra furry once a month, but otherwise you're just a bookworm with a pension for pranks." Fred grinned at the Marauders. "Oh, we know so much."

"Fred," Mia warned, "be careful."

"Okay… so you _are_ from the future. One where the war isn't over and tons of people have died and for some reason, everyone wants to kill this Harry kid. Okay. That's totally normal." James finished sarcastically.

"It doesn't really matter, though, because I'm working on getting us back. We can't stay here. Can you imagine what Voldemort," - four flinches - " _Honestly_ , boys, it's a name! Get over it! Anyway, can you imagine what he would do if he knew there was someone with invaluable knowledge of the war sitting right under his nose? Someone who knows the past and the future alike? Someone who could, if she wanted, easily guide him to victory?" She looked at their faces and rolled her eyes. "Oh, relax, I don't want to, I'm just saying I _could_."

"Okay…" Remus started slowly, "So, we get you two home."

"Yes, but I have some… other things I have to do, too."

"Fine, okay, but we'll help you." Remus insisted.

"Wait, hold on." Sirius stared at Mia, frowning. "Freddie Boy said James looks a lot like Harry. Does that mean…" he trailed off, the question obvious: Is Harry James's son?

"Yes," Fred answered before Mia could, earning him a glare.

"What?!" James gaped at Fred while Sirius gave Mia a sad smile.

"That's why he felt so familiar to you. Not only does he look like Harry, but he's his dad too. And you said Harry was like your brother. Family bonds are such interesting things." He let Mia put the pieces together. Mia liked being near James because she and Harry had a familial bond, and James was Harry's dad. According to the bond, James was family to Mia.

"Oh." She let her gaze fall on James, who was calming his excitement and smiling softly at her.

"You protected my… son for years?" He asked her.

She gave a small nod and Fred released her, stepping back as James moved forward to hug her. She let him envelope her in warmth and comfort, pulling herself together.

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"I had an idea." Mia looked at Fred. They were still a bit rocky, but it seemed they were both calming down slowly.

The five of them – Sirius, Remus, James, Fred, and Mia – had decided to spend the night in the Room of Requirement. When the decision had been made, the Room placed some very comfortable sleeping bags and wonderfully soft pillows on a table opposite them. The Marauders grouped together, with Mia and Fred to the left and a bit apart.

At about one a.m., Mia had gotten up for some hot cocoa, and Fred had followed. They were now seated in the chair Mia had been in earlier, which was big enough for three teenagers.

"That doesn't sound good," Fred joked.

"This is serious, Fred." Both of them, out of habit, waited a beat for the joke. When it didn't come, Mia continued. "I think I found a way for Fabian and Gideon to survive."

Fred choked on his drink. "What?!" Mia nodded slowly.

"But we'll have to break into the DOM again, or find some other way to get a Time-Turner."

"Mione… Time-Turners only go back."

Mia shook her head, a devious smile on her face. "Not if you're the brightest witch of your age."

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Fred wasn't as enthusiastic as he had originally been. No, the idea of breaking into the DOM was a bad one at best, a suicidal one at worst. It hadn't been hard to leave Hogwarts and it was even easier to break into the Ministry. The DOM was guarded, but not very well. Mia had said it was guarded as well as the Ministry had been in the future. But what had broken his enthusiasm had been finding the Veil. Mia had been marking the doors as she went, leaving a note on each of them as she tried to find the Time room. She had opened the door to the Veil, and Fred felt sick. Which, he guessed, was better than how Mia was doing. She stared blankly at the Veil, a cold look in her eyes. She closed the door softly and marked it before moving on.

Five doors later and they'd found it. It looked… less impressive than Fred had expected. It was literally just a room full of Time-Turners. Mia ran forward, looking through the small devices.

"Hermione? What are you looking for, exactly?"

She grumbled a bit before pulling one up and waving it at him.

"The runes are special. I wanted to see if they had one that had the rune for Protection. They did." She waved a decidedly small hourglass at him and smiled. "Can you apparate us out?"

Fred nodded and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tight, and turned his foot.

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"So, what exactly are you gonna do with it?"

They had slipped back into the Room of Requirement silently, and Mia had placed the Time-Turner around her neck to keep it safe. They settled back down on the chair and he was facing her, a smile on his face.

"I found a spell. I'm not sure how the Room had it, since Time-Turners are so new in this time, but it did. The spell helps you remove and place the Sands of Time from the device. If I can get two out safely, I can place it in something else, probably a locket, and make that a portkey. See? A Timekey! When they're… Attacked, they can just point at the locket, say ' _Portus'_ and then they should, theoretically, be wherever and whenever I set it to. Your mum will lose them for about eighteen years, but getting them back eventually is better than never." Mia watched him nervously.

"Blimey, Hermione, that's… that's bloody brilliant!"

Mia grinned brightly, a gentle blush sneaking up on her.

"Well, it's nothing. I felt so bad, and… I couldn't do nothing. You were right. And it'll take some time to perfect, and I'll have to make and test one myself during Hogsmeade weekend, but the theory is sound."

Fred smiled at her gently before frowning to himself.

"What's wrong?" Mia asked, frowning now, too.

"Well… it's just… Couldn't that get _us_ home too?" He looked up at her, waiting for her to disprove his idea, but her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

"You… you're right! Oh, Merlin, Fred, we can go home!"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Woo! I like to think that Hermione would find a way back pretty quickly.**

 **So they found their way home, and how to save some people! Fabian and Gideon (the latter being someone I will introduce soon. Don't worry.) will be getting a locket that is a Timekey both. Can you guess who else will?**

 **Yep, Hermione is brilliant, but Fred is, too. It would've taken her a** ** _long_** **time to get to that realization.**

 **But don't think they're going home right away. It'll take her** ** _months_** **to even remove one little teeny tiny grain of Sand to practice with. However, removing them will be quick once she gets the hang of it.**

 **So, they're still stuck there for a while.**

 **I hope you enjoyed!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

It was nearly eight by the time the Marauders and Mia stumbled into Potions class, merely because in all of the commotion, no one had remembered to cast a Tempus to wake them up. So, they'd all run out of there as fast as they could and made their way to the dungeons, while Fred instead went to Gryffindor Tower to sleep undisturbed for another hour.

When Mia walked in, the boys were already sitting with their partners – James with Sirius and Remus with Peter. To avoid them forcing her to meet Peter, she searched the room quickly for Regulus. When she found him, she walked over with a smile, ignoring the protests her friends yelled at her.

"Good morning, Regulus."

"Morning, Mia. Friends with my brother, are you?" Mia sighed. No one could say he'd ever let there be an elephant in the room, she supposed.

She reached her hand out to him to shake and, with all of her Gryffindor courage, smiled gently. "Mia Potter."

In months to come, she would look back on that moment and snicker, remembering his shocked and confused expression.

"I… you're… what?" She tried not to laugh, but she just wasn't sure she had succeeded.

"Mia Potter. A very distant cousin of James's. I was recently taken in as a ward and they thought it best to change my name… But Regulus, I promise I have no ulterior motives for being here." That's a lie. I want to save him.

He looked at her for what felt like a few of the longest moments ever before nodding. "Alright." She even thought he might look relieved to have found a friend.

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"Mia." Mia turned to see Sirius walking towards her and Regulus. Class was over and most people had left already, but Regulus had stayed behind to help Mia clean their work space. James had gone with Remus and Peter to talk to Slughorn and put away his own perfectly brewed potion.

"Yes, Sirius?"

"What are you doing with him?" Sirius spat. Regulus flinched a little, but she seemed to be the only one that noticed.

"He's my partner. He's helping me catch up in class." She spoke carefully, picking her words with precision.

"Don't you know who he is?! What he is?!" And Regulus flinched again, causing Mia's anger to soar.

"Do you think I can't be careful enough to pick my own damn partner, Sirius? Do you think that I, of all people, don't know who to trust and who not to trust? Should I judge you on the sins of your mother? Your father? Your bloody cousins? Should I take a look at Bellatrix or Lucius and spit on you?!" Her words were like knives and she threw them straight at Sirius, her anger pouring out of her.

"But he has done things, too! He's a Death Eater!" Sirius pointed aggressively to Regulus's left arm, but Mia grabbed Sirius' arm and twisted it hard.

"Don't you dare think that this world is black and white, good and bad, Death Eater and not. Don't you dare assume that I don't know what I'm doing! And don't you ever lift a finger towards him again. That is a warning, Sirius Black, and I suggest you listen." Her voice was the sort of calm that gives a person shivers, and he seemed to take a step back to look at Mia, pulling his arm away from her hard.

"I thought you were smarter than that, Mia." His words were sharp and slightly sad, like he had been let down. Mia's eyes widened as she heard him insult her intelligence and act as if he held authority over her.

"You insulted Regulus, your own brother, lifted a hand toward him, insulted me, but worse than insulting me, you insulted my intelligence. I thought better of you." And just as he had seen her do before, she silently and wandlessly used magic, but this time to hex him. With a wave of her hand, his head began to grow. It grew and grew until it looked like a bobble head, unable to control the perpetual nodding of his now inflated head. Remus, Peter, and James got back just in time to watch her hex him and stared on, mouths open in shock and suprise.

Mia grabbed Regulus's hand, who was staring between Mia and his brother in wonder, and pulled him out of the room quickly, running through the castle until they reached the Room of Requirement. When they were in the room, she slammed the door shut and slid down against it collapsing upon the soft carpet.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault he insulted you like that," Mia muttered. At her words, he was pulled out of the shock of what just happened, and he frowned at her.

"Who the hell are you?" Regulus demanded quietly. Before she could answer, she felt the familiar tug in her mind. He was trying to get past her Occlumency walls. She blocked him quickly, but he kept trying.

"I'm… a friend who wants to help you, Regulus." He stared her down for a few minutes before she could see his defensive walls fall. He believed her.

"What do you mean though? Help… how?" He sat down next to her, never taking his eyes off of her. She reached out gently, pulling his arm toward her and lifting his sleeve up. He didn't even bother pulling away; she already knew.

When she saw the Mark, instead of gasping or frowning or screaming, she gave him a soft smile, like it was the answer to her prayers.

"I'm going to save you, Regulus Black. I'm going to save your life and then I'll redeem you."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Fred was sitting in the common room reading a book about Time-Turners that the RoR provided when the Marauders filed through silently with extremely interesting expressions.

Sirius looked both guilty and angry, James looked amused and worried, Remus looked upset (and was glaring at Sirius, so Fred didn't need to guess whom with), and Peter looked confused.

"What in Merlin's name happened? Where's Mia?" When he said her name, he realized whatever happened had to do with her. He'd only ever seen such interesting expressions after someone argued with her and got hexed. Oh, this should be good.

"She ran off with a bloody Death Eater." Sirius growled. Fred's eyes widened.

"What?!"

"What he means," Remus said calmly. "Is that Mia is with his brother, Regulus." It didn't clear much up for the redhead. He'd never heard much about Regulus aside from the fact that he was Sirius's brother and that they weren't close.

"I'm sure she's fine. Why is he so angry? Even if something happened, she's held her own against five of them at once before." His mind drifted back to what she'd told him of the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. Death Eaters had ambushed them and were all over. Ginny, Luna, and Neville had battled together. Harry had run ahead, and Ron was attacked by… brains. She told him that before she could help her friend, Death Eaters had surrounded her, and she had to fight. It was only when the Order had come to help that she had any chance of finding Harry. She had made it out of that fight with one scar, and more anger than pain.

He realized with a start that the Marauders were staring at him in wonder. "What?"

"She… took on five Death Eaters at once?" Sirius asked, his eyes wide.

"Yeah. She didn't have much of a choice. Would've died otherwise." Fred frowned, thinking of his little brother and spoke quietly now. "Her friends would've died."

"She sounds amazing." Peter said, smiling. Fred shook himself and forced a smile.

"That she is, Pete. Incredible, too." He said honestly. "But what happened?"

James stepped in before Sirius could try to talk. "Not sure. I think they fought. When we got there, he had a growing head and she was running out and pulling Reg along." Fred cringed. He'd seen that used before, and he knew why. Only Madam Pompfrey had ever been able to remove that hex.

"Did you insult someone she considers hers, or did you insult her intelligence?" He asked Sirius.

"I… What? What do you mean, someone she considers hers?" Sirius frowned.

"She's kinda possessive. She has people. Take Harry for example. He was hers. When someone insulted or threatened him, she used the bobble head hex. Did it once for me, even, during the uproar against Umbridge. The bird was lucky that old toad didn't know who it was. I imagine she'd do it for the three of you, too."

"Why not me?" Peter pouted. James rolled his eyes.

"She hasn't met you yet, Pete, unless you count her watching you suck your thumb." Peter blushed brightly but didn't respond.

"So you're saying she considers Regulus one of hers?!" Sirius practically screeched at Fred, who rolled his eyes.

"That, or you insulted her intelligence. Or both."

"I didn't- oh." Sirius frowned again and looked down. "I didn't mean to. Just… anyone who knows he's a Death Eater and willingly spends time with him is either one too, or they're not too bright."

"Or," Fred sighed. "She knows something you don't, and you just fucked up." He suggested darkly. Sirius paled a little bit at that suggestion.

"Maybe I should find her and apologize." He suggested. Fred nodded a little, closing his book and standing up.

"I'll come with you. I might be able to help." Merlin knows they don't have any self-preservation when it comes to Mia's temper.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"You can't save me, Mia. No one can. I've been damned since I was ten and you're looking at the evidence."

"' _I will carry all your shame and I will carry all your names._ '" Mia sang quietly, Regulus staring at her. "' _Get up, Johnny Boy, get up Johnny Boy, get up cause the world has left you lying on the ground._ ' You can be saved, Regulus. I promise you, and I will be the one to do it." She reached out gently, touching his arm. "' _Get up Johnny Boy because we all need you now._ '"

It was quiet after that as he thought. They sat there together and he continued to push on her walls as she pushed back. It was a strange sort of comfortable. Eventually, Regulus stopped pushing and just traced the lines on her hand, the one that still rested on his arm.

"Why me?"

"Because," she began carefully, "you're the only one of them I trust. You're one of the very few that don't belong there in this very special way."

"What do you mean?" He frowned at her, turning to look straight into her deep, chocolate brown eyes now.

"I mean you won't be the only one I save, but you'll be the only one I trust, Regulus. I would trust you with my life." And looking back, Regulus would realize that it was that moment that he gave up and let himself trust her.

He nodded a little, watching her big, golden brown eyes stare right back. "I think I'm glad I met you, Mia Potter."

Mia smiled a bright smile, one meant only for him. "And I am forever grateful that I've had this… incredible opportunity to meet you, Regulus Black."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Mia had sat with Regulus – Reg, he asked her to call him – for another hour before they both had to leave for class. She disillusioned herself before running to Runes. She didn't want to risk running into Sirius.

When she arrived at class, she dropped the spell and walked in. She was the first one there, but she wasn't surprised. She also wasn't surprised when Remus walked in barely a minute after her. He gave her a gentle smile, walking over and sitting next to her.

"They've been looking for you."

Mia quirked an eyebrow. "Not you?"

Remus shrugged. "Fred said it would be better if it was just him and Sirius." Mia sighed. Of course Fred was helping him.

"I refuse to stop being his friend, Remus. I don't give a shit what Sirius thinks of his brother. He's my friend and that's not going to change. I won't stop being Sirius's friend, either, but I refuse to leave Reg." Her voice was hard, like she expected him to tell her to stay away from the youngest Black son.

"Fred pointed out that if you were with him, you probably knew more than Sirius did. Then he told us that if Regulus tried to attack you, you could very well hold your own. Which I agree with, especially after how quickly and easily you disarmed all of us last night." Remus offered her a soft smile. "I trust you, Mia."

She smiled back, nodding a little. "Thank you, Remus. And I have always trusted you, present and future alike."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

When Runes was over, Mia and Remus had relaxed around each other and established a friendship that Mia knew would be special. They walked out together, standing close, only to be ambushed by Fred and Sirius, who pulled them both to an empty classroom that didn't look like it had been used in a century.

"Would – you – let – go!" Mia sputtered, screaming at Fred, who had a tight hold of her. Once the door was closed and locked, he let go of her. Which was, in retrospect, his mistake. She pulled her arm up and slapped him, a cracking sound resonating through the room when her hand make contact with his arm.

"Ow! Bloody hell, woman! That hurt!" Fred yelled at Mia, rubbing his arm.

"What the hell do you two want?!" She screamed at Fred and Sirius. Remus sighed and put up a silencing charm on the room so no one would come running, and then resigned himself to be referee if things got too out of hand.

Sirius looked at her sadly. "We wanted to… Er, I wanted to talk to you."

Mia huffed, crossing her arms. "Make it quick. I've got a lot of work to do." She shot a look at Fred, her message clear. She needed to start working on the Time-Turner.

"Er, right. Well, I wanted to apologize."

"For what?" Sirius winced. No, I won't make this easy.

"For insulting Reg and… erm, your intelligence. Just generally assuming I know better."

After a long moment, Mia nodded. "You were right; Reg is a Death Eater. But it would do you well to remember what I said. The world isn't black and white or good and evil." She paused, considering her words. "Sirius, I would kill to end this war." She spoke so simply, so honestly, that it shocked everyone in the room. Fred had known that she would, but to hear her say it so clearly was a shock. It was never something people liked to talk about, to acknowledge back home.

"Not only that, but I will kill to end this war. I will have blood on my hands, and I don't know that I'll regret it." She sighed, seeing the look on his face. "You haven't been pushed into the war like I have. I'm at the center of it back home. They… well, the papers, they call Ron, Harry, and I the 'Golden Trio.' It's not fun, but it's true. The three of us are in the middle of the fighting." Her voice was a little shaky, and Remus grabbed her hand, shooting her a supportive smile. "But war is nothing without death. The so-called good guys and bad guys, we all kill. It's not good and bad or black and white. If you're in the middle of the war, your white turns grey. It becomes harder and harder for normal people, yourself included, to decipher who is good because, in all honesty, we can't tell either." She looked at Sirius pleadingly. "Please stop assuming. Open your eyes and train yourself to look for grey instead of white or black. Look for the 'mostly okay' instead of the good, because you won't find it." She finished darkly. Her hands were shaking a little and, waving her wand, she pulled down the locking and silencing spells and walked out, leaving the three boys behind to ponder her words.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Hey!**

 **So, I had my Twenty One Pilots playlist on while writing this, and Johnny Boy came on at the perfect moment, so I had her sing it to Reg.**

 **Like I said at the beginning of this fic, I know these songs weren't out back then, but I don't really care. I'm using it.**

 **So I was talking to padfootl0ve in the car about this fic, and she helped me decide a lot of stuff for the long term of this fic.**

 **One thing my dear sister helped me decide, was Regulus's fate!**

 **(padfootl0ve would like to interject here that any heartache caused by my unfiltered mouth can only be attributed to . because she should know by now not to listen to my crazy ideas- she also may not see this note, which would be very entertaining)**

 **( . would like to add that I am not blind and you're just as evil as I am, or do I have to remind you of what _you're_ planning for OSAL? So, shush. I would also like to mention that I'm being very freaking nice to my readers!)**

 **What do you guys think? Think Mia can save him in time?**

 **I'll let you ponder that! I hope you enjoyed!**

 **P.S. Sending this back and forth on erased all of the italisizedness in this chapter, and I'm too tired to fix all of it, so I just did the words from Johnny Boy. I officially blame padfootl0ve for this issue.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Holy shit. Ten chapters? Wow, it hasn't even been two weeks since I started this! Padfootl0ve has been such a help in keeping me excited and motivated when my muse runs off, so honestly, a big thank you to her.**

 **Anyway, enjoy, and remember, reviews are food for selfish writers!**

 **Chapter Ten**

October 4th, 1976

It had been two weeks since they arrived, and Mia was settling in easier than expected. She got along quite well with the girls in her dorm. Lily was a lot like her, and they bonded over their love of knowledge and mutual annoyance of pranks. Mary was quiet, but whenever she spoke, she made everyone smile. It was nearly impossible to not like her. Marlene was a female Sirius. She was loud and crass and funny and over protective of those she loved. Alice, Mia found, was not much like Neville. She was lively and the center of whatever room she was in. She didn't seem to have much of a filter, but she made up for it easily. She was extremely kind and thoughtful, and Mia was somewhat convinced the girl was a Seer the way Luna was.

Mia was sitting in DADA when Auror Prewett walked in, smirking.

"Hello, class." She frowned. Something was off.

"Hello, Professor." The class said together.

"Today we'll be working a little more on nonverbal casting. We'll be using _stupefy_ today. Everyone pair up and stand across the room!" With another frown and a sigh, Mia stood. She would have to talk to him after class.

Once she was standing across from Sirius, who had become her permanent partner, she readied her wand. "Begin!" She heard Fabian yell and watched as the class started. She absentmindedly put up a shield as she noticed Sirius begin to shoot spells at her. It absorbed his _Stupefy_ – which was flawless and silent – and every other spell he threw at her. He didn't really need to hit her. He just needed a place to aim at, and she worked. She turned her head, keeping the shield up, and watched as Fabian stared at her, amazed.

"Um, sir?" She spoke quietly as he walked over, stopping when he stood next to her.

"Was that a silent _Protego_?" Mia shrugged, frowning. He'd seen it before and he'd come to expect a decent amount of power from her.

"Yes… You've seen me cast it before, sir. I meant to ask, can I see you after class? I have some more I need your advice on." When he looked like he was going to say no, Mia sighed softly and cast a silencing charm around them so no one could hear them. "Please, Fabian? I'm having issues with removal and it's so dangerous."

A week before, Mia and Fred had approached the Auror and asked him for help. Mia had lost confidence and refused to do anything without an older wizard, even just three years, there to confirm her movements.

Fabian nodded slowly. "I suppose. After class." Mia gave him a bright smile, thanked him, and took down the privacy bubble.

Fifty minutes later, Fred and Mia were waiting in Fabian's office for him.

"I'm serious, Fred, there's something off about him. Maybe he's just tired, I don't know, but we have to check before I show him my progress." Mia insisted quietly.

"Fine, but don't shove your wand down his throat because you're paranoid." Fred huffed at her. They sat in silence for another few minutes before the Auror walked, offering an apology for being late.

"Now, what did you need to show me?" He asked, looking at the teenagers across from him. Faster than light, Mia pulled her wand out and pointed it at him while Fred groaned, a look of resigned annoyance on his face.

"Didn't I _just_ say not to do that?!" Fred complained.

"Who are you? You're not Fabian." Mia held the man's gaze, her voice hard. Secrecy was too important to not be careful (although no one would suspect such when they had been telling everyone they came across practically). The man looked at her for a long moment before the corners of his mouth twitched, giving away a grin he was trying so hard to repress.

"I'm Auror Prewett, Miss…?"

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that? He _knows_ us," she waved to Fred and herself with her free hand, "so why…" She trailed off, looking at him. "Your hair is parted the wrong way…" Her brain whirled, putting the pieces together. She pulled her wand away with a huff, sitting down.

"Gideon Prewett." She said to Fred, her mouth tight. Fred grinned, looking between his uncle and Mia. "I _hate_ twin pranks."

"Hey! I take offense to that!" Fred glared at her playfully.

"Good! You're half of the idiot that caused my hate for said pranks!"

"To be completely fair, Granger, it was _his_ idea first."

"Yeah, and I trust he would say the same if he were in your position."

"Damn right he would. We have a shred of self-preservation, we do."

"Really? I had no idea, not with the way you instigate your poor mother."

"Poor mother? Mia you've seen her mad, she looks like a sabertooth tiger for Merlin's sake!"

Gideon was watching the exchange, equally annoyed and amused. "I happen to love twin pranks. They make life so much easier." Fred grinned at him brightly.

"See, Mione?"

"Would you stop calling me that?! Merlin, you called me 'Granger' too…" She growled – actually growled – at Fred. He was making sure that they _had_ to tell Gideon. "You have the biggest mouth of anyone I've ever met, Fred. It'll be a miracle if we survive."

Gideon frowned. It was obvious they had some sort of secret, one that his twin seemed to know. "What exactly is going on, here?" He tried to sound authoritative, but not the way he did when apprehending Death Eaters. It didn't seem to be going well. Fred looked amused and proud.

"My name is Frederick Gideon Weasley," Fred started. Mia groaned. This was going to take a while.

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It had taken them a while longer to convince Gideon, who was still somewhat shocked, but he believed them in the end.

"So you're trying to find a way to go back?" He asked his nephew and his friend.

Mia shook her head, reaching into her beaded bag to find something and pulling out the Time-Turner, which she had placed under a stasis charm. "We found something."

"Is that a Time-Turner?" Gideon sounded amazed, his eyes wide.

Mia nodded. "We, uh, stole it. From the DOM." Before he could say anything, she moved on. "We found a spell that helps remove the Sands of Time, but it's dangerous. Fred and I told Fabian about it and he was helping us. Once we remove the Sands, we'll place them in an object, charm the Sands to when we need, make it a Portkey, and we'll have a Timekey." She smiled brightly, obviously proud. "Fred helped the idea and he's been really good at the spell, so he might have to be the one to remove the Sands. It'll just take us some months, maybe six, before we can get it right."

"Wow," Gideon breathed. He was amazed.

Fred nodded, grinning. "Too bad we can't get them in the future. With a few restrictions, it would be great for the store."

"Fred! You know exactly why that would be a bad idea! Someone could end up like us."

"Why couldn't you?" Gideon asked, tilting his head.

"Um… My friends and I… there was a battle, and we accidentally kinda destroyed them all." Mia said sheepishly. She really did feel terrible for it.

Gideon's eyes widened before he blinked, furrowing his brow. "Does that mean… are you saying there was a battle in the DOM, and _children_ fought it?"

"Uh, yeah… Harry had this dream and we went with him because he'd get himself killed without us, and there were Death Eaters and…" she trailed off, avoiding his eyes. His gaze was penetrating and it was making her uncomfortable. "We went into the Time Room and a slicing hex was sent after Neville but it hit the table and… all of the Time-Turners were broken." Mia finished shortly, glaring at Fred for not helping her.

Gideon covered his face with his hands, mumbling through them to speak. "And why did your friend Harry storm the DOM because of a dream?"

"It doesn't matter. It's already happened… er, for us. We just need to focus on this spell and getting back." Fred said quickly, much to Mia's relief.

"Right. Well, I don't think I should help you. Fab should be back tomorrow, so he can help you then. Just… write me and keep me updated, yeah?" With a smile, Mia and Fred both promised to write. Mia apologized once more for shoving her wand in his face before they said goodbye and left to consider one more person knowing.

"We'll have to Obliviate them or something."

"I know."

"I'll do research."

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Later That Week

"James Potter, you put him down right now!" Mia yelled sharply. James turned back to look at her, and immediately he felt that sinking feeling. She was _pissed_.

"Only if he says 'pretty please.'" James said and regretted instantly. He felt a hot substance sticking to his lower back, growing with every second. When he looked down, he saw his entire bottom half was coated with green goo.

"Mia! What is this?!" He screamed, pulling his wand down and poking the goo. When his wand was down, Mia huffed and walked past him, running to the Slytherin that fell when the spell broke. When she got to him, she spoke a few words and helped him up. Before she walked away with him, she turned to give James a cold look and muttered some words, giving James a bobble head.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Are you okay?" Mia asked softly, looking at Severus gently. They'd become friends the day Regulus was sick and she had to pair up with him in Potions. It had taken weeks, but he'd dropped his guard around her enough that she could tell him about her plan to help him. He'd accepted, albeit somewhat reluctantly.

Severus nodded a little, gently pushing her hand away. "I'm fine, Sano." Mia pushed down the blush that threatened to surface when he called her that.

Severus and Regulus had decided to call her "Sano" after she had Severus join her and Regulus in the Room and told them about each other. Sano, she realized later that night, meant heal, cure, make sound. After that, she didn't bother telling them not to call her that.

"If you're sure." She sighed. "I told Regulus I'd be in the room tonight, if you want to come. The boys are doing something and I'd rather avoid finding out what."

Severus shook his head. "Avery has been watching us too much. I trust him, but you don't. Besides, you know I can't be seen with you too much, Little Lion." Mia nodded and sighed. She didn't know what to do about Avery. She'd never heard much about him and she'd never met him in her time. Here, he seemed all too interested in her, and she knew he was a Death Eater. Severus had said that Avery tried to refuse, but Voldemort threatened to kill his mother, so he had agreed. While Mia desperately wanted to believe that Avery was a good Death Eater, she just couldn't risk it.

"I'll make sure I run into him sometime soon, I guess. But Severus, I'm not invincible and I'm no miracle. There's… there's only so much I can do." Severus gave her a smile, like he knew something she didn't, but just nodded.

"I know, Sano. Now go. Reg gets cranky when you're late." Severus rolled his eyes, but Mia smirked. He was right; Regulus was very cranky if she was late. He was, in general, very protective of her, and it made her smile.

"I know, I know. But to be fair, I never told him _when_ I would be there." She kissed Severus's cheek – in a purely friendly manner – and walked away, heading toward the Room.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Reg, if you ask me one more time, I will hex you." Mia warned sharply.

"Please, Mia! Just listen from my point of view!" He insisted, throwing his hands in the air. "He's pranked me more times than I can count since I've gotten to this school. All I'm asking is for you to help me _once_! It won't even hurt anyone."

Mia frowned at that. "It could hurt you," she countered quietly, not looking at him. She heard him sigh and walk over, grabbing her hands and forcing her to look at him.

"I can handle myself, Sano. I've done so for five years. He won't hurt me. He might yell, yes, but he wouldn't hurt me unless I was hurting someone else."

Mia shook her head, breaking eye contact and instead looking at their joined hands. "I don't know. He's… I'm trying to stay out of this. And besides," she added, her voice a whisper now. "He's one of the closest people I have. D'you think he'd forgive us both?" She looked up at him now and saw him grin. He knew he'd won the argument.

"Course he will. You've got him wrapped around your finger, and I'm his little brother, whether he likes it or not." He hugged her close for a second before pulling away and laughing.

"Think you can handle pretending to be my girlfriend for a day?" He asked.

Mia nodded, giving in with a sigh. "I think this will be harder for you than it is for me, Reg."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Hey! So yeah. Reg's birthday (which I'm totally making up for this story) is coming up soon, and he has something planned!**

 **Don't expect too much of Gideon. Sadly, there's not much of a way to work him in beyond this and letters and Hogsmeade trips.**

 **Yeah! Friendships have been formed! Bonds have been made! I've got plans for Avery. (padfootl0ve would like to insert here that ever since she showed . the fic 'The Light' she has a weakness for Avery) I've also got some plans for Severus, but I'm really not sure when those can possibly take place.**

 **As of now in the story, Mia and Fred have been there for about three and a half weeks.**

 **Remember, reviews will help me know what you like and don't like, what you want more of, want you want less of, who you want to see, etc.**

 **I hope you enjoyed!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

October 17th, 1976

Mia and Regulus had worked for hours on the prank for Regulus's birthday. They had to time everything correctly, which was a pain with Sirius, since he never seemed to do anything at the correct time. So, they had gone to Fred for help, who was more than willing to distract Sirius and bring him back to Gryffindor Tower right after dinner, claiming he needed help with something.

Mia was in the Room with Regulus, pacing as she listed off all the things that could go wrong. He listened quietly, letting her get it out of her system before he calmed her down.

"Plus, above all of that, he could always just refuse to ever talk to me again and- "

"Mia, love, he would never do that. He loves you and you know it. It's just a harmless little prank. It's just one kiss to give him a heart attack, and then you can tell him all about it. I promise you, it'll be perfectly fine. Do you really think Red would've agreed to help if he thought there was a chance of you getting hurt in the end?" Regulus reasoned patiently. Mia's shoulders slumped and she sighed, sitting down on the big chair next to him.

"I suppose not. You're right. It'll be fine. He can take a joke. He certainly makes enough of them." He put his hand on hers, rubbing her with his thumb.

"Exactly. Besides," he grinned at her brightly, "it's my birthday."

"Oh! I forgot. I got you something, but it won't be ready for another while. It might be another five months."

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "You got me a present and it won't be here for five months? You know you could've just left the gift at this and a simple 'happy birthday', right?"

Mia blushed a bit, nodding. Truthfully, she had only used his birthday as an excuse to give him the ring when it was ready. "I know. But I think you'll like it."

He nodded and stood, obviously brushing off the subject. "We're going to be late, Little Lion." He offered her his hand and she took it, standing. They left the Room and walked in companionable silence, both thinking of the prank to come.

When they got to the corridor that held the Fat Lady, they stopped and waited, standing there and talking. When they heard the cue – a very subtle "have you seen Mia?" from Fred – Mia took a sharp breath, squeezing Regulus's hand tighter than was probably healthy. Her stomach did a few flips which confused her, seeing as this was just a prank. He smirked at her knowingly before stepping forward a little, moving his free hand to cup the back of her head, and closing the space between them. His lips touched hers with a small gasp from her. Her lips parted in a gasp, he deepened the kiss just a little, a small smile forming as he felt her instinctively press herself lightly against him.

"What the fuck?!" Ah, there we are, Regulus thought. He gently pulled away from her, but he kept her hand in his as she looked a little dizzy. With a small squeeze of the hand, she pulled herself out of the daze, blushing furiously.

"Sirius!" She squeaked.

"What the hell are you doing, Mia?!"

"Um…"

"I'd certainly hope you know what that is, brother," Regulus said smugly. He loved getting his brother riled up, and it made him even happier that Mia was helping him just so he'd be happy on his birthday.

"I know what that was!" Sirius snapped, sneering. "I want to know why!"

Mia was looking between Sirius and Regulus nervously and Regulus knew he only had another few seconds before she would snap and tell Sirius it was a joke.

"Why? Of all people, Sirius, I thought you'd fall for Mia." Regulus started, his tone a bit mocking. "She's beautiful and smart and cunning and brave and even a little cruel. She's relentless and she will do anything for a friend if they ask. Or have you not noticed? I'd have thought you would fall for her, but you've never looked at her past being a friend, maybe a sister, have you?"

Everyone was silent for a few beats, though Mia was squirming under the praise. "It was just a stupid fucking prank!" Fred said, apparently frustrated.

"Sorry," Mia muttered, before running off. Regulus looked at his brother, his eyes wide. That was definitely _not_ the way everything was supposed to go.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Mia?"

"What?" The small girl demanded, not looking up or moving. She was lying on a couch in the Room, a blanket draped over her with her eyes closed.

"Sirius sent me to come check on you. Said there was… an incident." James cringed. Sirius would never use the word "incident" when he could say – or rather scream, in this case – that he'd caught Mia and Regulus kissing.

"It was just a joke, Jamie." Mia had taken to calling James, Jamie when he woke her up out of a nightmare. He'd always hated the nickname, ever since his grandmother gave it to him, but hearing him call her that made him hate it less. He didn't really mind it from her, actually. "Something harmless, he said. No one would get hurt."

James walked over, patting her legs so he could sit down. "I know, love. Sirius isn't mad. He was just worried. He knows you trust Reg but… Well, it's hard for him to change his mind. Whenever he thinks of Regulus, his mind yells 'Death Eater, Death Eater!' and he can't get it to say 'brother' anymore. He worries about you so much, and I think seeing that scared him pretty bad." Mia sighed, opening her eyes to look at him.

"And I understand that. Harry was the same way with one of our professors who was a spy for the Order. But… I'm an adult, Jamie. Even if that were real, which I swear it isn't, I could handle myself. Besides, I've… I've never really been one for relationships," Mia muttered. "First boyfriend I had was Imperiused to try and help kill Harry. There've been a few dates to Hogsmeade, but… It's just not important to me. I have to save the world, or help save it, and that is more important than _dating_."

"Your boyfriend tried to kill my son?" James frowned.

"Not the point, James."

"I know. I just… Sirius loves you. He treats you like a sister and you're as close to him as I am, and you've only been here for a month." James sighed, grabbing her hand and looking her in the eye. "He wants the best for you. Wanna know what he told me before sending me in here?" Mia nodded slowly. "He told me that if it were real, if you did want to be with Reg, he would still love you and support you. He told me that nothing can take him away from you and that he wants to apologize to you in person whenever you decide to come out of here."

Mia sighed. She knew she was over reacting. "James, he's not the only reason I came here. Did he tell you what Reg said about me?" She worried her lip between her teeth, watching James carefully.

"No, nothing," He frowned at her, waiting for her to tell him.

"He just said… just all of this stuff about me. A lot. He explained why he thought Sirius would've fallen for me and… Jamie, I've never heard anyone say those things about me before. I wasn't even sure he was talking about me and not someone else."

James sighed, gently pulling her towards him and wrapping her up in a hug. "Regulus is out there, too. He was threatening to _Bombarda_ the entire wall," he frowned when she winced at the idea, but she waved him off.

"Umbridge, fifth year. Inquisitorial Squad did just that. The wall nearly collapsed on Harry and the twins."

James nodded, finding he didn't much like this Umbridge woman. "Anyway, he says he's either taking the wall down or staying there until you come out."

With a sigh, Mia nodded, hugging him tighter. "I'll talk to Sirius first and then Reg…" she pulled away from the hug and smiled at James softly. "Thank you, Jamie." James just cracked his crooked grin and nodded, kissed her forehead, and then left, letting Sirius walk into the room instead.

"Hey, kitten." Sirius said nervously.

"Hey, puppy." Mia smiled softly, seeing him flinch at the nickname. He hated it and she knew it, but he let her use it when they were alone.

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

"I'm an idiot," he added.

"No, you're just too protective for anyone's good." She corrected him gently.

"It's not my fault. You have a weird effect on me!" Sirius pouted at her as if it were her fault. Which, she thought, it very well might have been.

"I know I do, love. And I'm sorry. It was a bad idea, but he just really wanted to get under your skin, so I agreed."

"Well, I guess I should just be glad the kid has a sense of humor and a taste for pranking." Sirius said dryly.

Mia snorted, smiling now. "He can joke, you know. You just act like he's the worst person on earth when you see him."

Sirius shrugged, as if there was nothing he could do about it. "Are we okay?" He asked shortly.

Mia nodded, standing and hugging him. "Of course. I can never stay upset with you." She thought for a moment before adding, "Though, there are some things from the future that I'm still pissed at you for, if you'd like to be yelled at for those." _Namely, dying._

He grinned at her, stepping back and holding his hands up in surrender. "Can't damn me for what I haven't done yet, love." She rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Alright, fine. I'll… yell at you when I get back." The lie was hard to force out and she could only hope he believed her.

"Right. Well…" he walked to the door, giving her a smile that made her melt. "Guess I'll let my brother come talk now. Remember… he won't suspect a muggle style attack." He winked and disappeared out the door. Mia gave a breathy laugh and rolled her eyes. Moments later, Regulus walked in, looking nervous.

"Mia…"

"Don't apologize, Reg. You didn't do anything that we didn't talk about a million times first." He took a step closer and she sucked in a sharp breath.

"I wasn't going to apologize, love."

"I… what, then?" She asked him, struggling to keep her eyes on his.

"I was going to tell you that I meant every word I said. I was going to tell you that you make me smile and feel safe. I was also going to tell you that kissing you was very likely the best thing I've ever done, even if it was just to put my brother on edge. And then I was going to ask you, very carefully, if I could do it again." Suddenly it was much harder than before to continue looking at his eyes. Her eyes fell to his lips and she bit the inside of her lip, thinking. She didn't quite trust her voice so she simply nodded.

Regulus moved a step closer and cupped her cheek with one hand, the other falling to his side to gently touch her hand. He moved slowly, giving her time to change her mind, before their lips met. She felt a rush of warmth throughout her body, and she didn't care about anything but kissing him. She opened her mouth a little and moved just a bit closer to him. He deepened the kiss again, but made sure she had complete control. They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity before he dropped his hand and she broke he kiss, instead leaning her forehead against his and catching her breath. When their lips parted, Mia felt a gentle shiver of magic over her entire being and she saw a gold glow circling them. She recognized it from books, she realized with a start. It was a soul bond.

A few minutes later, Mia looked up at him. "Reg?"

"Yes, Mia?"

"Reg, you know what just happened, right?"

"Yes, Mia."

She leaned her head back with a sigh. That was absolutely not supposed to happen. What if she failed to save him? It wasn't an option to begin with, but now… Mia knew what soul bonds were and she knew how they worked. She knew that while she had the choice to back out now, it would do her no good. She knew that she had the chance to be happy forever right in front of her, and she had no damn clue what to do with it.

Suddenly, Regulus pulled back and pulled his wand on her, frowning at her. She stumbled a little, as she had been leaning on him a bit, before she regained control and frowned at him, eyes wide. "What are you doing?"

"Who are you?" He demanded sharply.

"What? It's me, it's Mia. What are you doing?" She repeated, her anxiety spiking.

"You are _not_ Mia Potter. You let your guard down. You let me in your head."

" _Fuck_!" She cursed loudly, her hands balling into fists. "Look, I don't know what you saw- "

"Neither do I! The first person I've trusted after Sirius and you're even lying to me! Now, tell me the truth or I swear to Salazar I will not hold back." He warned her sharply, his eyes locked on hers.

With a shaky nod, Mia sighed. "My name is not Mia Potter. It was never Mia to begin with. That's just something I accidentally said when your brother found me. My name is Hermione," she said softly.

"Like The Winter's Tale."

Mia nodded gently. "My mum named me after Hermione from The Winter's Tale, yes. I… Regulus, I'm sorry. I know I didn't tell you everything, it's just dangerous. If… if Voldemort knew about me, he would probably kill me, if not forcing me to tell him everything I know. Either way I would end up dead, you have to understand that. I'm keeping secrets because it's the safest option, Regulus."

Regulus looked a little more worried than angry now, but he waved her on to continue. "You can keep checking as I talk. I won't put up any more walls, but just let me explain everything. Actually, it would be helpful if you would watch me and know I'm not lying so I don't have to go through the task of explaining why I'm not lying."

"Just tell me, Mia… Er, Hermione." Mia scrunched her nose at the sound of her real name on his tongue. She didn't like it. He didn't know her as Hermione. He knew Mia, who she was now.

"Keep calling me Mia, please. Anyway, on September 19th, 1979, Hermione Granger was born to muggle parents." She watched his reaction carefully, relieved when he didn't seem to care about her parentage and instead just looked more shocked to find she was telling the truth. "In 1991, I attended my first year of Hogwarts, where I was Sorted into Gryffindor… though the Hat tried to put me in Ravenclaw." She scoffed, as if the idea were an insult. "I was a loner for the first two months of school, being ridiculed because I was ahead of everyone else in our studies and was… Well, our potions professor called me an 'insufferable know it all' if that gives you an idea." She watched him frown with a hint of anger before she kept going. "On Halloween, I ran into the bathroom crying after I heard some boys making fun of me. Our Defense teacher that year, Professor Quirrel, had let loose a troll in the school. The boys who made fun of me, Harry and Ron, ran to find me and saved me from the troll that had wandered into the bathroom. We were best friends after that. It was one of the weirdest bonding moments in my life."

Regulus quirked an eyebrow. "One of?"

"James Potter is weirder to me. He looks exactly like his son. It was a bit disconcerting. When I saw him, I called him by his son's name and… well, we'll get to the rest of that."

"Ah."

"Anyway, the rest of the year was spent investigating. Harry and Ron thought that our Potions professor was trying to steal something from Hogwarts. Well, fast forward past some small incidents and me lighting a professor's robes on fire during a Quidditch game, and the three of us managed to nearly get ourselves killed. Harry had gone to try and stop whoever was trying to steal from Hogwarts, and we followed. There were puzzles, and Ronald, the stupid boy, got trapped in one. He was on a large board of human sized Wizard's Chess. He sacrificed himself – the knight – to save the queen. He won, but he was injured. I stayed back to help him while Harry went to stop the thief. In the end, the man died. The man was Professor Quirrel, but he was also being possessed by… by Voldemort. Halloween night, 1981, Voldemort was killed. He was only a wraith when he possessed the man, and he was defeated by Harry."

She paused, looking at him. He sighed and nodded, but she could feel him still prodding at her memories and could see him schooling his expression into indifference. "I believe you so far."

"Good. So… second year wasn't much better. The Chamber of Secrets was opened. Everyone thought Harry was Slytherin's Heir and was going around trying to kill muggleborns, which was ridiculous, seeing as I'm his best friend." Mia huffed, apparently still frustrated. "But he found the entrance with Ron. I was…" she blushed softly and looked down. "I was petrified for most of this, so I only know what I was told." She looked back up at him with a sigh. "Harry found a basilisk down in the Chamber. Ron's little sister, Ginny, was being held down there by… Tom Riddle. Well, by the diary that… contained a piece of his soul." Regulus sucked in a breath, his eyes wide. "The horcrux was holding Ginny captive. Harry managed to kill the basilisk and destroy the diary before Ginny could die, but he nearly died doing it. He had been impaled by a basilisk fang. He would've died, had Fawkes not cried on his wound and carried him and Ginny out."

"A… Merlin, Mia, did you say a _horcrux_?"

Mia nodded gravely. "I did. Gods, Reg, they're terrible... But let me continue. We'll get to more of that later, love, I promise." He nodded shortly, and she launched into the tale of her third year.

"My third year was… different. Nothing within the school wanted to kill Harry or any of his friends, which was a welcome change. But… a man had broken out of Azkaban. He was after Harry. During a Hogsmeade trip, Harry found out that this man was his godfather. Fast forward to one full moon when a big black dog, resembling the Grim, grabs Ron by the leg and drags him into the Whomping Willow… Er, it's there for werewolves. It's a long story. Anyway, Harry and I follow. When we get there, Ron tells us it's a trap and points to the escaped prisoner. The man… he…" Mia faltered, pain sprawled across her face as she remembered Sirius on that night, the complete lack of sanity and how he was so obviously willing to let Harry kill him. Tears prickled her eyes and she swiped them away aggressively before she started again.

"He was yelling about killing someone. It went on for a bit and we thought he wanted to kill Harry. Our Defense professor for the year, though, showed up and we found out he was friends with the prisoner. We all fought for a bit before the prisoner demanded Ron give him his rat. The stupid rat, we found out, was an animagus. He was to blame for the deaths of Harry's parents, not the prisoner like everyone thought. Harry didn't let the prisoner kill him, though. He told the prisoner and our professor that there was no way the prisoner could ever be free if the rat died. So, we kept him alive and went toward the castle, intending to tell Dumbledore of his innocence, but our professor, a werewolf, had forgotten to take a potion – one that hasn't been invented yet – and he was turning into a werewolf. The prisoner told us all to run, and the rat turned into his animgus form again and got away. The prisoner turned into the Grim and held off the werewolf until it was drawn away by a howl in the forest. When he was gone, the Grim was hurt. Harry tried to help him, but he and the prisoner were surrounded by dementors – the minister had forced Dumbledore to place some at the school – and the dementors were trying to Kiss Harry and the prisoner.

"Someone casted a patronus, though, and the dementors left. After that, Harry and the prisoner were found. Harry was taken to the infirmary to heal while the prisoner was taken to a cell and left there until the Kiss could be performed in front of the minister." She took a breath, shaking her head. "I refused to let that happen. Er… you see, at the beginning of that year, Professor McGonagall had given me access to a legal form of time travel – it sends you a few hours into the past at most. I'd been using it to take every elective the school offered. But I used it with Harry, and we went back to save the prisoner. We distracted the wolf and Harry cast the patronus to save himself. He cast it because he had already seen himself do it, you see. We also saved a Hippogriff that was wrongly sentenced to death. We flew him to the cell and saved the prisoner. After that, we ran back into the infirmary and got back in bed before anyone noticed we were gone." Mia finished.

"Who was he? The prisoner, I mean." Regulus asked. It was the one thing that she had kept blocked from him, and he was getting frustrated trying to make her let the wall down.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Reg. Just… let that be, please."

He shook his head. "To trust you, I need to know everything. Now, who was the prisoner?"

Mia's face fell at his stubbornness. She let her shoulders droop and spoke with great reluctance. "Sirius. He spent twelve years in Azkaban for murders he did not commit."

Her words were met with silence, but she could see Regulus freeze, trying to process what she had said. "Sirius…"

"I'm sorry, Regulus. I promise you, I did everything in my power to save him, and he wasn't Kissed because of it."

"Just continue your story, Mia." From the look on his face, she knew he had caught the careful wording she'd used.

She nodded, understanding his need to focus on anything else. "Fourth year was horrible. The tri-wizard tournament came to Hogwarts. Someone entered Harry's name into the Goblet, and he was picked alongside a wizard name Cedric to be Hogwart's champions. Ron didn't forgive him for that for months. He thought Harry had done it himself, figured out a way to get his name in the Goblet, which was ridiculous. But Ron was jealous.

"The first task was to get an egg from a dragon. You could only go in with a wand. Harry summoned his broom and got the egg after a little trouble. Ron forgave him after seeing the torment Harry went through during the task.

"The second task was… Well, he opened the egg underwater, and it sang to him. 'Come seek us where our voices sound, we cannot sing above the ground, an hour long you'll have to look, to recover what we took.' It turned out that I was what they took for the Durmstrang champion, Viktor. Harry had Ron. They all had to find a way to breathe under water for an hour. We were put into a trance and dropped into the bottom of the Black Lake. Viktor got me before anyone else did. The Beauxbaton champion had to forfeit. Cedric came up next with his girlfriend, Cho. Harry took longer, but he got Ron and Fleur's little sister, Gabrielle. He came in second.

"The third and final task…" She cringed, wrapping her arms around herself as she remembered. "It was a maze filled with dangerous traps. Viktor was Imperiused by a Death Eater who had kidnapped the man that was supposed to be our DADA teacher and used Polyjuice Potion to take his place. He Imperiused Viktor to make sure that Harry got to the Cup without any interferences. He got Fleur out of the way – she was fine, just a little beat up – and tried to get Cedric, but Harry hit him on the head, I think. Harry and Cedric grabbed the Cup both…" she trailed off, taking a deep breath and looking at him hard in the eyes. "And were portkeyed to a graveyard where the rat killed Cedric and cut Harry's arm, using his blood for a ritual that brought Voldemort back from the dead. Harry escaped and grabbed Cedric's body. He used the portkey to get back to the stadium, but the Death Eater posing as a teacher found him.

"It wasn't long before Dumbledore found Harry and the Death Eater. He forced the man out of his disguise and threw him into Azkaban.

"I think that was when his nightmares started. He was never the same after that, and I don't blame him. Weeks after the final event, Dumbledore started the Order of the Phoenix back up, and the fight against Voldemort resumed."

Regulus watched her carefully before he grabbed her hand in silent support, waving for her to continue.

"The ministry said Harry was lying, of course. They didn't want to deal with the panic that came with admitting Voldemort was back. So, they decided to put an evil toad in charge of teaching us that year. Umbridge was foul. She forced Harry to write with blood quills, making him write 'I will not tell lies' until it scarred his hand." She paused. "I'm getting ahead of myself. The summer before fifth year, Harry and his cousin, Dudley, were attacked by dementors in the neighborhood of their muggle home. Harry cast his patronus to save them, and a squib helped Harry get home safe. He was then sent a Howler telling him that he was to be expelled for using underage magic outside of school. The Order picked him up that night and took him to Grimmauld Place – Sirius had offered it to Dumbledore as base of operations – and he had a trial. He managed to get off, but Dumbledore refused to speak to him and we had been told not to talk to him about anything outside of normal teenager stuff. Anyway, school was not great that year. Umbridge refused to actually teach us anything. She just made us read our books. Even I know there needs to be some practical application for us to learn anything! So Harry made a group called Dumbledore's Army with me, Ron, the twins, Ginny, Luna, and Neville. We invited people we thought would be interested in joining and Harry set about teaching us defensive magic. It was amazing. But eventually, Umbridge managed to kick Dumbledore out of the school and take control. She had a group called the Inquisitorial Squad there to make sure everyone stayed in line. It was horrible.

"A week before we left for Christmas break, Harry had a dream that someone attacked Ron's dad in the ministry. He told Dumbledore, and someone saved Ron's dad's life, who had actually been attacked by a snake. Dumbledore insisted Harry begin to learn Occlumency and made the potions professor – who knew Harry's mum and dad and hated his dad, and Harry by extension – tried for a bit, but it sounded like he was really just using the time to bully Harry. Harry retaliated and looked in the professor's memories and… well, the lessons ended." Mia took a deep breath, her mouth tight and eyes filled already with unshed tears.

"June 18th, Harry had a dream that Sirius was being tortured in the Department of Mysteries. I lured Umbridge out into the forbidden forest, where she insulted centaurs and they took her. When I got back to the castle, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Luna, Neville, and I all decided to go to the DOM together. We got there and… there was a battle. Bell… A Death Eater…" she corrected herself. Her voice was tight and she felt hot tears burning their way down her cheeks. "A Death Eater sent a curse at Sirius, sending him back into the Arch in the Death Room. He died." She wiped at her cheeks and took a breath, shaking her head.

"Voldemort came and fought Harry once again. He possessed him, using him to talk to Dumbledore. The minister saw and could no longer deny what he knew: Voldemort was back." She knew her hands were shaking, but she only had _one more year_ and then she was done.

"Sixth year was bad, too. Some students didn't come back. Harry had private meetings with Dumbledore. He couldn't even tell Ron or I what he was doing. He was suspicious all year of a particular Slytherin that had always hated him of being a Death Eater. I always told him, he couldn't be. He was just a kid. I always said that surely even Death Eaters wouldn't do something so cruel." She stared intently at Regulus. "Obviously I was wrong.

"This particular Slytherin had been given the task of getting Death Eaters into Hogwarts and then… Then he had to kill Dumbledore. When they were on the astronomy tower, this boy disarmed Dumbledore, but our potions professor killed him. There was a battle. I fought alongside some friends against Death Eaters. They left after a while. No one else died that night, but some of us were hurt." She shrugged a bit, as if she didn't care.

"Harry told us later that night about the horcruxes. He told us his mission and he told us that he wasn't coming back to school the next year, that he had to go find and destroy these objects instead. Ron and I both agreed to go with, refusing to let him go alone." Mia took a breath, relieved to be nearing the end.

"During the funeral, I left to get some air. I'd never been good with death, and his was just too much. One of Ron's brothers, one of the twins, found me. He offered to help me find Dumbledore's wand. I'd heard Professor McGonagall talking about how they couldn't bury him yet because they hadn't found his wand.

"We went and looked in the Forbidden Forest, and he found the wand. He made some annoying joke about how he was right and I was wrong – I had told him it couldn't possibly be in the forest because it was too far away – and I went to grab the wand from him. When I touched the wand, though… He and I were sent twenty years into the past, and landed right next to a young James Potter and Sirius Black. I saw James and thought he was Harry. He's… Harry James Potter," Mia said. "And he looks exactly like his father, but with his mother's eyes. Anyway, Fred and I met Sirius and James and then even Remus. We were all taken to Professor Dumbledore's office. He decided to ask the Potters to take Fred and I in as their wards, and they agreed." She sighed softly.

"Auror Prewett is Fred's uncle. When he saw him, he kinda… we told Fabian. Gideon found out later, too, which I still think was a stupid risk and completely unnecessary. But Fabian agreed to help me work on getting Fred and I back home.

"We had a fight. I told him… Look, time isn't malleable. Time is pretty solid. I told… I told Fred that we couldn't save his uncles and… he didn't take it well. So he was mad at me and gave Remus all the clues he needed to find out that I wasn't who I said I was. So we told the Marauders some of it. They know we're from the future.

"Later that night, I had an idea to get Fred and I home and possibly save some people. We, er, broke into the DOM and stole the time travel device I used in my third year. We have a way to get home and a way to save Fabian and Gideon and… and hopefully some other people. I've been working on it with Fab, but it's slow and dangerous."

Regulus stared at her for a few agonizing seconds before he nodded and dropped his wand. She could feel him retreating from her mind as well, and so she put the walls back up.

"You've had quite the life, Mia." He sighed at her.

She snorted. "I see you're good at understatements."

It was late now, after all of it, and probably past curfew. Mia took his hand and led him to a chair, sitting down next to him and leaning her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I lied to you, Reg."

"Don't be sorry, Mia love. I understand now. You were right. He would use you and then kill you." He paused before looking down at her seriously. "I promise I will keep this secret with my life." She sighed and shook her head.

"And I promise I will save you in any way I can."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

 **HOLY SHIT. THAT WAS A LONG CHAPTER.**

 **The longest I've had yet, and it is currently three thirty in the ever confusing morning!**

 ***twelve hours later. literally***

 **You guys should really thank my sister for this chapter. I had been going to send it before editing it, but she made me go to bed and when I woke up, I decided that it would be better if I checked it over. I did a major sweep of it and fixed it up. I'm still a bit iffy and it's still a bit stiff, but it's so much better and I'm willing to actually post it after I get approval from aforementioned wondrous sister.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Soo… padfootl0ve is ready to kill me after some… events of last chapter. She just told me she hates me. I found that I get somewhat of an ego boost every time she yells at me. It's great.**

 **To the reviewer who had a question and had PMs turned off: Fred was still standing in the Room when Remus looked at the Map. The door was open, but he was still there, so the Map didn't recognize him. Also, Mia and Fred never claimed to be siblings. She said that they were friends from the same town, which was destroyed by a fire. I hope that helps!**

 **To the guest that pointed out that they said they can't change anything but are trying to save everyone: I know. I have and am working it all out with my beta. They're not breaking the rules of time so much as… finding loopholes? It'll work, especially for this story.**

 **Which leads me to an important question: I want to know who your favorite characters from the past are! It really helps me to know what you guys do and don't like!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Twelve**

November 2nd, 1976

"Potter," a voice called. It took Mia a few seconds before she realized James was nowhere around and whoever said it was talking to her. She turned around to see Frederick Avery standing across the empty hall from her. She took a deep breath and walked toward him.

"Avery."

"You've been spending a lot of time with Black and Snape," he commented. Mia stiffened, but she held his gaze.

"Regulus is my partner in potions. Severus helps me when I need it." She didn't trust Avery, even if Severus did. She had heard nothing about him in her own time, and she didn't know what to believe here.

"Snape said you're… helping them." He tilted his head at her, as if curious. She frowned.

"What do you want, Avery?"

"I want proof you can help, Potter. And then we'll see."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "And then we'll see?"

"We'll see if you can help me, too."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

November 5th, 1976

Mia woke with a start, rubbing her eyes. She had had a nightmare of the night Sirius died. It pained her to remember it in such detail, especially now that they were so close. She couldn't imagine losing him again, and the fact that she would, was killing her. She left her dorm quietly and went down the stairs to the common room, worrying her lip between her teeth.

"Sirius? What are you doing up?" Mia spotted Sirius sitting on a couch, twirling his wand between her fingers.

"Can't sleep, kitten. Are you alright?" He waved her over and she moved to sit next to him, relaxing into his side.

"Had a nightmare. I'll be fine."

"What was it about?" He wrapped his arm around her, rubbing her shoulder absently with his thumb.

"Just… the battle of the DOM. It was one of the worst nights of my life, Sirius. If I could change anything in my life, I think I would change that night."

"You wouldn't change coming back here?" He asked gently. She could hear the note of insecurity in his voice, and she looked up at him seriously, her voice sincerer than ever.

"I wouldn't change this for anything, love." He nodded gratefully and gave her a long look.

"What happened that night? What happened that you would give anything to change?"

"Someone died that night. Someone very important to Harry. He was important to me, too, of course. It's just that Harry needed him more. We weren't specifically close, I guess, but I always knew that if I needed anything or anyone, I could go to him and ask.

"He had the biggest heart. He loved Harry fiercely and Merlin knows he would've… he _did_ die for Harry." She set her piercing gaze on Sirius and said in the most determined voice he'd ever heard, "And I will bring him back, Sirius. I promise you. I'll find a way to save him."

Sirius pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "I believe you, kitten. But try to remember that you can't save everyone."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I can try."

He sighed, realizing she wasn't going to change her mind, not right after that nightmare. So instead of arguing, he nodded and shushed her to sleep. He fell asleep listening to her breathing quietly, and it was the best night's sleep he'd had in years.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

November 6th, 1976

Mia growled in frustration as she watched Fabian put out a tiny fire in the corner of the room. They'd been working on the spell for hours, and she had made no progress. After a small accident and catching one of Fabian's trinkets on fire, she had sat in the chair and waited for him to put it out. When he was done, he sat next to her and sighed.

"Don't give up, pet. It's a hard spell. You knew that going in."

"I know, Fab, but I've barely done _anything_! I hate this. How do we even know if it works if there's no progress?"

"Magic isn't that easy, Mia. You're brilliant. You know that. It takes hard work and time to master something. Did you go into transfiguration thinking you could immediately transfigure a cat into an armchair?" Mia shook her head a little and he smiled. "Exactly. Be patient. I'm right here to help you through it."

Mia nodded, taking a breath through her nose. "Thanks, Fab. I just feel a little useless," she waved around lamely, "here lately."

Fabian nodded at her in understanding. "I know. It's really hard being an Auror and trying to save people that won't let you help. It's even harder to teach here knowing there are current or future Death Eaters in my class. But we both do what we have to do, pet. And it'll be okay. In the end, we're both making a difference, yeah?" She nodded a little and he gave her a gentle smile. "You restored my faith in winning this war, Mia. I accepted this job because I was losing hope. Even though it's still going in your time, I'm glad to find that someone is still fighting. We haven't given up. Thank you for that." She blushed under his praise and shook her head.

"I didn't want this for my life, Fabian. I never asked for it. It's just the job that comes with being Harry's best friend."

Fabian shrugged. "You could've walked away, couldn't you?"

"Of course not. He's my best friend." She said, frowning at the idea.

"But loyalties aside, you could've. You didn't. You stuck around and now you're here, guiding me and your boys." He winked at her, a sideways grin on his lips. "And Merlin knows we'd all be lost without you."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

November 8th, 1976

"Mia if you keep pacing, I will put you in a full body bind until he gets here," Regulus warned Mia. She glared at him darkly and continued to pace.

"Are you sure we should trust him?"

"I've told you a million times, it's a good idea."

"Do you not remember the last time you said that to me? Does your birthday ring a bell?"

Regulus grinned and grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward him. "I do, as a matter of fact, remember that." He kissed her nose and she smiled. "And the outcome was something you seem to like, Mia love. So no complaining." She rolled her eyes and kissed him softly, leaning against him as he put his arm around her waist. They stayed like that for a bit, both relishing in being together. All Mia could think about was how very _alive_ he was right at that moment, and she never wanted it to end.

Someone cleared their throat, and Mia jumped with a squeak, causing Regulus to chuckle.

"He's your potions partner, huh, Potter?"

"Best partner I've ever had, too." Mia sighed, pulling herself out of Regulus's arms. "You're late."

Severus stepped forward, bowing his head at her. "My fault, Sano. We ran into Potter, and he didn't like the idea of just letting me pass him in the hall." Mia scowled, moving quickly next to him and looking him over closely.

"What did he do?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle, Little Lion."

"Don't brush me off, Severus. What did he do?" She asked him sharply, her jaw set hard. Severus sighed and shrugged.

"Sent some hexes my way, but I did as you asked and didn't hex back. He missed me, anyway."

Mia huffed and mumbled something under her breath. She looked him over again and, accepting that he was okay, turned back to Avery. "So, are you a Death Eater yet?"

Avery gave her a sharp look, but he lifted his sleeve up to show the dark and hideous scar. She nodded curtly and sighed. "Do you know Occlumency?"

He rolled his eyes. "Every pureblood knows Occlumency, Potter."

Mia huffed at him and tilted her head. "So why do you want my help?"

"Because I don't agree with anything they're saying. I don't agree with their blood purity bullshit. I loathe the murder and torture. The only reason I got sucked in was because of my mother, and well… she's dead. So I haven't really got any reason to stick around."

Mia smiled brightly. The entire time he spoke, she poked around in his head. The fact alone that he let her said that he was serious about being there. "Okay. I'll help you."

He gave her a soft but genuine smile. "Thank you, Sano."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"James Charlus Potter!" Mia screeched, stomping into Gryffindor Tower. The common room was reasonably full, but Mia didn't mind making a scene to prove a point. Everyone in the room turned toward her, and the room went silent.

"Uh, Mia?" James asked uncertainly, looking as if he wondered if he should be running. Mia walked over and glowered at him.

"I understand that you have some sort of _issue_ with Severus," she began, "and I don't honestly care whether it's some sort of stupid house rivalry or some dumb personal vendetta, but you will _not_ hex him in the bloody hallway when he's walking by you like a normal bloody person!" Mia spat.

James stood up, confusion in his eyes. "Mia, I don't know what he's said- "

"Don't even try to deny it. It's not as if it's some new thing! You've been doing this for years! I want it to stop right now, James Potter, or I swear to Merlin, Morgana, Circe, Godric, Helga, Rowena, and bloody Salazar that I will write your mother and tell her _everything_ I know and have seen!" Mia huffed and ran out again, leaving a confused and slightly terrified James behind, wondering, above all things, how on earth she knew his middle name.

When she walked out of the portrait hole, Mia took a deep breath and went to the library to calm down. She ducked into a dark corridor, thankful that no one had followed her. She was still seething. How Harry's father could be so… so _mean_ was beyond Mia, but she intended to change it.

She got to the library quickly and slipped in without Madame Pince noticing her. She was walking back to her usual table when she saw some Slytherins gathered around Mary Macdonald, who looked… afraid?

"Aw, c'mon, Macdonald, where's that Gryffindor courage? Aren't you going to do something?" The hair on her neck tingled. She recognized that voice from somewhere. Mary didn't say anything, but panic was written across her face. The two Slytherins were stalking closer as if they were predators ready to pounce on their prey.

Mia knew one of them had touched her when she winced and Mia heard a whimper, which made the boys laugh loudly. Mia's blood was boiling, and she lifted her wand, pointing it at them.

" _Stupefy_!" She yelled, taking both boys down at once and expertly avoiding Mary. When they were down, she ran closer, hitting them both with a harsh stinging jinx. "Oh, Merlin, Mary, are you okay?" Mia frowned at the girl, looking her over to make sure she was okay.

"I'm… Yeah, I'm fine, Mia. Just… would you walk me to the dorm, please? I don't wanna go alone." She nodded at the girl and wrapped her arm around her.

" _Expecto Patronum_!" She cast her Patronus, looking at the otter with affection. "Go to Lily. Some idiots tried attacking Mary in the library. I'm taking her back to the dorm. I need you to clear out the common room and be ready to help her. I have to take care of something." The otter ran off and she repeated the spell, another otter appearing. "Go to Reg. Get to the Room immediately." She ordered, and this otter ran off as well. She walked with Mary tucked into her side, constantly whispering and reminding the girl that she was okay.

When they got back to the common room, the only people there were Lily and Alice. They took the shaken girl from Mia and led her upstairs to comfort her. Mia took a moment to disillusion herself before she ran out once more and sprinted to the Room, fury driving her. She slowed down considerably when she got close, but she barreled into Regulus and they both fell over.

"What the… Mia?" She groaned, having fallen on her wrist.

"Can you take the spell off? I think I hurt my wand hand."

Regulus obliged and pulled her to her feet, leading her into the Room where she immediately began to pace, muttering angry nothings under her breath. He allowed her to do so for a few minutes, knowing she needed to calm down before he spoke.

"Come here and let me heal your wrist before it swells." She glanced over at him like she'd forgotten he was there and sighed, walking to him. He healed her wrist quietly and pulled her into his lap. "What's wrong, Sano?"

"They… they _dared_ to attack her! Merlin knows what they wanted to do to her! I don't even think she had her wand on her. She was in the library for fuck's sake!"

"Slow down, Mia love. Who tried to attack whom?" Regulus asked softly. Mia took a few breaths before starting over.

"I went to the library and I found two Slytherins surrounding Mary. They were going to attack her and when one of them touched her, I stunned them and put a nasty stinging hex on them. I… I know that voice, Reg. I just can't quite place it." Regulus had frozen for a moment, but he kissed her cheek gently.

"Why don't we try Occlumency? Think about it and I'll go back and we can see if we can find him. How's that sound?" Mia let herself relax against him and she took one of his hands, nodding.

"That could work."

They readjusted a bit so she was straddling him so that he could look in her eyes more easily. He squeezed her hand gently before entering her mind, sending her back to a memory she had tried her best to forget.

 _Her arms were pinned behind her tightly as she watched her best friend fight next to Sirius. She couldn't move and it was driving her crazy. She itched to be free of the man holding her back and join the fight. She would give anything to be beside Harry, making sure he was okay. Every fiber of her being wanted to fight off Bellatrix so Sirius wouldn't take the risk, so Harry would be with his godfather._

 _But there was a man, a Death Eater, holding her back and forcing her to watch as her friends put their lives on the line because she hadn't stopped Harry from running off and being impulsive again._

 _She heard a low, throaty chuckle from behind her. It was the sort of sound that would haunt your dreams. She twisted in the man's arms, but he just tightened his painful hold on her._

 _"Do you like watching your friends die? I'm sure we can fit you in, too, after a game or two." Her skin crawled and she forced herself to think about anything but what he was insinuating. The vile man laughed again, but she barely heard it as she heard Harry scream._

 _Her eyes darted to the middle of the room where she saw the reason her best friend had cried out in agony._

 _She watched as the spell – she recognized it as a_ Stupefy _, which confused her – hit Sirius's chest. She watched the man's eyes widen as he stumbled back, falling into the Veil of Death. She watched him disappear, leaving behind a heartbroken Harry, held back by a shocked and destroyed Remus as Harry tried to run into the Veil after his godfather._

 _The man behind her giggled in glee and twisted her around, leaning down close to say something that she didn't really hear but assumed was some vile threat. She watched the man's face as he backed up._

 _She realized with a shock that he was actually beautiful. He had the sharp aristocratic features she had learned to associate with purebloods. His hair was a strawberry blond, short and straight, falling down in his face. He was slim but not sickly so._

 _He trailed his finger across her jaw before he disappeared in a wisp of black smoke. She could feel arms wrapped around her, gentler this time, and hear someone speaking to her, though she didn't know what._

"Mia! Mia! Please, Mia, look at me!"

She could feel hot tears burning tracks down her cheeks and was vaguely aware of the sting in her throat. Had she been yelling? She looked around in a daze, finding Regulus's panicked face directly in front of her. She was shaking violently as he rubbed her arms and spoke to her, though she couldn't tell what he was saying.

"Sirius…" she muttered, a sob escaping once more. She saw Regulus pull something from his robes and say something, but she still couldn't hear him. She didn't know how long they stayed there like that, him holding her tight against him and whispering to her, begging her to calm down.

Eventually, she felt him remove his arms as they were replaced with another pair that was lifting her from her place on Regulus's lap and forcing her to stand as she was wrapped in a warm hug. She took a deep breath, breathing in the smell of whoever was with her now.

"Sirius…" She said again, still shaking. She was shocked back into the memory and it was all she could do not to release the sob building in her chest. "I can't- " hiccup, "let him die," hiccup, "again." Another hiccup. She felt the arms holding her pull back and found herself face to face with Sirius.

"Kitten, I'm right here." She wasn't sure what it was that pulled her out of the painful daze. It might have been his face and words mixed with his smell, but she wasn't sure. She blinked a few times before stumbling back, stealing herself away from him.

"Sirius… N-no…" Regulus caught her as she tripped over the rug, and he wrapped his arm around her waist gently.

"It's okay, Mia love. He's right here. He's right here and he isn't going anywhere," he shot Sirius a dark look and his brother nodded, looking as if he'd kill before leaving her. Sirius nodded toward the couch and Regulus gently guided Mia over, pushing her down carefully in the middle. Sirius sat to her right and Regulus sat to her left.

"D-did you at least…" she took a deep breath, trying to gain enough composure to speak. "Did you at least find out who tried to attack Mary?"

Regulus's eyes darkened. "Yes, and I am _extremely fucking pissed_ at what he said to you, too." Sirius frowned at his little brother.

"What are you talking about?"

"Mary Macdonald was attacked in the library and Mia recognized the voice of one of the attackers. I went into her memories – don't give me that look, I only did it after she agreed – and it would seem… It would seem she went back to the night you… died." Sirius gave him a sharp look, obviously surprised he knew the truth about Mia.

"Did you pry where you shouldn't have, _brother_?"

"I- no. I didn't." Mia snorted shortly, obviously disagreeing. Sirius didn't seem to notice as he calmed himself.

"What did he say to her?" Sirius demanded.

"I'm really not sure that's a good idea," Regulus warned. As much as he and his brother didn't get along, he really didn't want Sirius going to Azkaban for murder… before he had to.

"Tell me, Reg, or I will attack every Slytherin in this school. Including _you_."

Regulus's lips thinned, but he spoke quietly, tracing lines on Mia's arm absently. "Threatened to… play games with her and kill her. Laughed at… your death. That sort of thing."

Sirius had tensed, his body still as he processed. "And who the _fuck_ was it?"

"Antonin Dolohov." Upon hearing his name, two things happened: Mia pulled the brothers closer to her, tears beginning to fall once again, and Sirius screamed a very long and very creative string of curse words, a bout of accidental magic due to rage catching the rug on fire in a bright and brilliant purple flame.

Regulus put out the flame with a wave of his hand and glared at Sirius. "Calm down. Focus on her first." He took a breath but Sirius managed to calm down and turn his focus on the small girl next to him.

The three of them spent the night that way and the following day. Regulus would sit there and stroke her hair, peppering kisses along her face while Sirius held her hand and told her stories of when he was younger and lived at home with his litter brother.

Mia knew that this little haven wouldn't last forever, but she didn't care. They stayed there in that room and didn't bother going to classes or telling their friends where they were, and Mia felt at peace for a bit.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

November 10th, 1976

Sirius grabbed Fred aggressively and pulled him into a spare classroom, locking the door behind him and putting up a silencing charm. Fred pulled his arm away from Sirius, frowning.

"I died." Sirius stated, his heart dropping when he saw Fred flinch.

"How did you- "

"Mia had a panic attack so bad that my brother had to ask me to come help. Apparently she watched me die again and that's why," he paused, messing his hair up with his hands. "Mia was forced to watch me _die_?"

Fred nodded slowly, not able to look at his friend. "You and the rest of the Order went after Harry at the DOM. Bellatrix shot a stunner at you and you fell back into the Veil of Death. She says Harry changed that night after seeing you die, but I don't think she realizes a bit of her died that day, too." He sighed, leaning against a desk. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you. I think she's finding a way, though, to bring you back. I've found a few… darker books in her things lately, and she's avoiding me. I'm a reminder of the future where you're not there, mate, and it hurts her."

"I'm sorry," Sirius said, not sure what else he could say.

"Why? I would rather she avoid me than be in pain. Besides, she's got Regulus, hasn't she?"

Sirius frowned but nodded. She did have him, and they seemed to be great for each other. Sirius had seen it when they were together. She brought out a lighter, more playful part of his brother while he showed her that not everything was her responsibility. They had fun and he even thought they loved each other. "Yeah. I guess she does."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Wow! So a lot's happened. This chapter was a bit uncomfortable for me to write. I don't like writing something so much darker when there was no lead up to it, but it needed to be done. I think what was more uncomfortable for me to write, though, was her panic attack, because it wasn't hard at all.**

 **I know there are a lot of writers who would just say that Sirius showed up and she calmed down immediately, but that's often not how panic attacks work, at least in my personal history. So I thought it would be best if she take a minute and settle back into reality.**

 **Before anyone gets any ideas, Sirius doesn't have feelings for Mia. He thinks of her as a sister.**

 **Another thing I wanted to bring up is the tags. I have it tagged as a Hermione/Fred fic. That will be the end pairing. I know Fred isn't present too much at the moment, but that's because he really is a reminder of what Mia will lose. He will be very much present when they return to their own time, and they'll be together eventually (I have some plans before they can be together in the future.)**

 **So just know that while the current pairing is Mia/Regulus, it will eventually be Mia/Fred. I promise.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and remember to review!**

 **P.S. THIS CHAPTER HAS NOT BEEN EDITED AS MY DEAR BETA IS GOOFING OFF WITH HER STUPID BOYFRIEND SO PLEASE EXCUSE ANY MISTAKES. THANK YOU!**

 **(I do love you, padfootl0ve. Don't kill me.)**


	13. Chapter 13

**I wanted to do something special for this chapter, so I decided to do the Veritiserum or dare scene I promised my sister early.**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

November 20th, 1976

Marlene McKinnon's birthday

Mia dropped the vial of Veritiserum on the table and sat on Regulus's lap, next to a smirking Sirius.

"And how, pray tell, did you acquire that, Miss Potter?"

Mia scowled at him. "I brewed it."

Sirius quirked an eyebrow. "I thought you were bad at potions."

Regulus leaned forward and kissed Mia's neck softly. "She brewed it, but I showed her how." He grinned at his brother, who frowned.

"Oi, get your mouth away from that area. Don't take her innocence."

"My _what_?" Mia demanded. "What business do you have worrying about my 'innocence?'"

"I agree with Padfoot, Mia." James said from across the room.

Regulus nuzzled into her neck. "I don't think they like me touching you, Sano."

"They can bloody well get over it or I will make them." Mia threatened. There was a cough from the other side of the room where Lily, Alice, and Marlene were stifling giggles.

It was Marlene's birthday and the Marauders, Fred, Mia, Regulus, Lily, Alice, Mary, and Marlene had all gathered in the Room of Requirement to celebrate. Mia was sitting on Regulus's lap with Sirius to her right. The rest of the Marauders were across the room distracting the girls while Sirius got the Firewhiskey ready and laced it with the correct amount of Veritiserum. Fred had been stuck in detention after he was caught providing Peeves with water balloons that morning, something he was immensely proud of. It was his first detention since they got there.

Sirius sniffed the vial and, satisfied, poured about a quarter of it into a full bottle of Firewhiskey. He swirled the liquid in the bottle for a few minutes before calling off the Marauders. When everyone was seated, he told them all the rules.

"Veritiserum or Dare, everyone." Lily groaned and Alice rolled her eyes, but Sirius waved them off impatiently. "Yes, yes, I know, not the most original. But it's fun and perfect for Marls."

It was true. Marlene was grinning ear to ear as she stared at the bottle. "Have I ever told you I love you, Sirius Black?"

"I'd be stuck in a fairytale if you did, Marls." He winked at her before turning to everyone else again. "So, who wants to go first?"

"I'll go," Regulus said, still nuzzling Mia's neck.

"Fine with me, if it gets your face away from her bloody neck," Sirius muttered. "Veritiserum or Dare?"

"Veritiserum." Regulus said smoothly, kissing Mia's jaw before reaching out and grabbing the bottle. He poured himself a shot and drank it quickly, waiting for Sirius's question.

"Why do you and Snivellus," Mia hit his arm, hard. "call Mia Sano?"

Mia took in a sharp breath and squeezed Regulus's hand in worry. "Because she's healing us." He said slowly, glaring at his brother. Mia let out a sharp breath as her boyfriend smiled at her. Sirius frowned at the couple.

"What do you mean, healing you?"

"That's not how the game works, brother. My turn." Regulus turned to Mia, grinning evilly. "Veritiserum or dare, Mia love?" She glared at him. She knew he would ask her something moderately horrible.

"Dare."

"Hmm." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Oh, I know. I dare you to wear my jersey for the next two weeks." He smirked as she opened her mouth before closing it again. She knew it was actually a really sweet thing he was asking of her. She smiled brightly and leaned forward to kiss him.

"If I must, Reg." She teased lightly. She let herself relax into him again as she turned to Lily.

"Lily. Veritiserum or dare?"

The redhead eyed Mia carefully before she answered slowly. "Veritiserum." Mia poured her a shot and passed it to her, smirking. When the girl drank it down, grimacing at the burn in her throat, Mia wasted no time to ask her question.

"Do you have romantic feelings for Jamie?"

"Y-yes." Lily stuttered out, obviously trying to resist.

James's eyes widened as he stared at the girl. He looked at Mia and then back at Lily. "Lily?" Lily ignored him, pouring another shot and handing it to him. If he were even slightly hesitant, he didn't show it. He poured the shot down his throat and looked at her expectantly.

"Why do you ask me out in such public and embarrassing ways all the time?"

"Because I want you to know that I l-love you and that I will embarrass myself a million times if it means I get even one date with you. I want you to know just how much you mean to me."

Lily's eyes widened and she seemed to consider him for a moment before standing. She walked over to him and grabbed his hand, pulling him up. "If you'll excuse us," She said quietly, leading him out of the Room.

"Well," Remus grinned. "tonight is shaping up to be a great night."

"It's been long enough," Marlene sighed. "Now, Alice, Veritiserum or dare?"

The small girl rolled her eyes and poured herself a shot, downing it quickly.

"When did you and Frank last see each other and why?" Marlene asked. Everyone knew that Alice and Frank were a couple, but the two never got to see each other. They were both extremely busy, and their respective friends took up much of their time.

"Last week. He p-p-proposed." She said through clenched teeth. There were loud shrieks and Mia fumbled to pick herself up, managing to shove Regulus's face hard as she threw herself across the room to hug a sheepish Alice.

Regulus groaned and rubbed his face while Sirius smirked. He watched his girlfriend beg for details and realized that it was the girliest he'd ever seen her. She looked happy, but also overwhelmed, like she wasn't used to being near so many girls.

About fifteen minutes later, the squealing was interrupted by James and Lily walking back in, hand in hand. Lily frowned at the girls huddled together. "What did I miss?"

"Alice is engaged," Sirius said, grinning brightly at his best friend. James just smirked at him in response.

Another ten minutes later and the squealing had ended. Mia was sat on the floor in front of Sirius with James to her left and Lily next to him. She leaned her head against James's shoulder, smiling softly.

"Alice, it's your turn to ask someone." Marlene reminded her.

"Okay, um… Remus, Veritiserum or dare."

Remus sighed. "Veritiserum." He tipped the shot back and waited for the question.

"Why do you and the boys act like Mia's bodyguards? There's one of you near her almost all the time."

Mia frowned at the question. What did Alice care? She looked around the room and understood immediately after seeing Mary's face. She liked Remus.

"Well, I suppose it's because she's ours to protect. We'd be nothing without her. It was like there was something missing before. We were a puzzle that fit well enough together without her and stayed together fine, but when she got here, it's like someone glued us into place and together. She's the answer to everything we need, and she's family. She's like a sister to all of us."

Mia's eyes widened as she listened to Remus's words. "Oh, Remus," she whispered, standing to hug him. "You stupidly sweet boy. What would I do without you?" He hugged her back, his cheeks flushing brightly under the attention. When she pulled away, she sat down again next to James and squeezed the boy until he tapped her arm, signaling her to let go. Lily was snickering next to him at the sight. Finally, Mia turned to Sirius, who looked like a deer in headlights. "You love me," she teased him, grinning as he squirmed a little. "You love me, Sirius Black, and you can't deny it." She could feel Regulus trying not to laugh as he watched the little scene.

"Yeah," Sirius said in defeat. "Yeah, I do, kitten. Dunno how I could survive without you, honestly."

Mia smiled gently and hugged him, settling down next to him and Regulus.

They all played for a few more hours and it was pure fun. In the end, Mia ended up shirtless, Regulus had gotten an impromptu haircut (that Mia insisted she would fix later), Remus had kissed Mary, to her immense pleasure, and Marlene had fallen asleep, watching all of her friend's happy faces. In the end, she couldn't have asked for a better birthday.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

November 29th, 1976

It was the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year and Mia and Fred had made plans to meet Fabian and Gideon in the Hog's Head. Mia had been writing Gideon regularly on top of her meetings with Fabian. She was slowly progressing, but she was still worried and had asked Gideon if he would come give his opinion.

She walked into the Hog's Head with Fred, a bright smile on her face. She hadn't been spending much time with her friend lately, and she had to admit, it felt nice to be with him again. He made sure to keep her smiling the entire time.

They approached the table the twins were sitting at, and Mia sat next to Fabian while Fred sat next to Gideon.

"So,"

"We were wondering,"

"If you knew,"

"Exactly who,"

"You were seated with."

Mia rolled her eyes and snorted. "Easy. I'm next to Fab and Fred is next to Gideon."

Gideon narrowed his eyes at her and passed his brother a few galleons. "I was certain she wouldn't be able to tell with us both here."

"Bad idea, mate. She could tell George and I apart within a month of meeting us. Got us in trouble plenty because of it, too."

Mia grinned and winked at him. "You two were always so careless. You'd have gotten in trouble without my help."

Fabian chuckled and looked at her, bringing her attention to the matter at hand. "Did you bring it with you, pet?" She nodded and pointed her wand at her neck, cancelling the disillusionment charm on the device and pulling it from around her neck.

"You know I always have it with me, Fab."

Mia and Fabian had become close during their meetings, and the man had become like an older brother to her. He'd filled the place Bill and Charlie had left in her heart, and she was fine with that. She missed the oldest Weasley boys a lot, she had realized.

Gideon reached across the table and took it from her, looking at it with a quiet reverence. "I've only ever seen this one," he remarked quietly. "The DOM is always so… mysterious." He looked between his nephew and friend. "How'd you steal it so easily?"

Mia shrugged, her voice light as she focused on anything but the answer. "I've broken in before. It's not hard." Fred coughed, drawing the attention to himself.

"I've got to wonder why this spell is so difficult to master."

"Well," Gideon started. His voice sounded suspiciously like the one Mia used when she was about to explain something long and complicated. "It's because it's a magic she's never used before. Sure, she used the device in her third year, but she's never done more. It's like with Occlumency, it's incredibly hard at first, but when you get it right the first time, it gets a lot easier. I suspect she'll figure it out soon. She just needs to be patient." He gave Mia a pointed look and she rolled her eyes.

"I am patient!"

"No, you're not," all three redheads said together.

Mia pouted, crossing her arms and refusing to look at them.

"Look, Fab, I think we've upset her."

"I know, Gid. It's like we said something that hit a little too close to home."

"One wonders."

The twins grinned at her. It took a few moments, but they broke through her stubborn shield and she grinned, laughing a little. "Fine, fine. I'll work on my patience."

"Good luck with that," Fred laughed softly. Mia stuck her tongue out at him like a mature adult.

Fred rolled his eyes, smiling fondly at his friend and his uncles. This was a scene he'd always treasure.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Mia was walking quickly through the castle toward the common room. She'd spent the past couple of nights in the Room of Requirement with her boys, and the Marauders and Fred were all starting to wonder (angrily, in Sirius's case) if she and Regulus were more… intimate than they'd let on.

It was probably two in the morning when she left, and she hadn't expected to find anyone up.

"Potter," She stiffened. _Not him. Not again._ She continued walking, quicker now, but someone stepped in front of her out of a dark hallway, causing her to stop short. "Don't you know not to ignore your superiors?" She heard the voice sneer. It was too dark to see him, but she could feel him coming closer.

"I haven't seen any superiors around, but I'll make sure to give them my full attention if I do." She remarked. She felt him move another step closer and heard him growling.

"How _dare_ you talk to me like that?!" He spat. She was frozen in place. She didn't think she would be able to run from him, and she knew she couldn't over power him, if the future him was anything to go by. She felt his hand ghost down her arm as he leaned in. She could feel his breath on her neck, and she felt sick. She couldn't get out of it this time, she realized. She was stuck.

He wrapped his big hands around her tiny arms tightly and, before she could make any noise, he cast a silencing charm on her, and she knew she was doomed.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Sirius?"

"Mm."

"What was the name of the guy that attacked Mary, again?"

Sirius frowned. "Dolohov, why?"

James shot out of bed. "Because the Map says he's standing next to Mia by the kitchens and they haven't moved in a few minutes."

Sirius threw himself from his bed and ran out of the room faster than he'd ever run before, with James hot on his heels, wand in hand.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"-on't think it matters how we bloody knew, professor." _James?_

"Well, either way, Mister Potter. We have no way of proving it was Mister Dolohov. Why don't we just focus on taking care of Miss Potter here? You should be glad you found her when you did. She'd lost a lot of blood.. She would've died if you were just a few minutes later, you know."

"Of course we bloody well know! We're the ones that found her!" _We? Who else was there?_

"I'll let that attitude slide for the night," Mia heard someone say. The voice sounded familiar, but she didn't care enough to try and place it. She heard James grumble a little before a chair squeaked. She heard footsteps walking away, and she imagined the other voice was leaving.

"Jmmms." She tried saying his name.

"Mia? Mia just rest, okay? I'll be here when you wake up."

Mia wanted to protest, but her head hurt too bad and she was too tired. She let herself drift when she felt him grab her hand within his own.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"James." Mia groaned as she woke. She didn't bother opening her eyes, but she could feel someone next to her.

"Morning, sleepy head."

This time she did open her eyes. When she looked around, she saw a tired looking Fred sitting next to her. He pointed to her left, where two bed had been pushed against hers. She found James curled up as close to her as possible without actually touching her bed. Next to him was Sirius, who was curled up in a ball like the dog he was.

"They refused to leave your side. Wouldn't even sleep two feet away from you. Madame Pomfrey detests this solution, but it's better than nothing."

"What… what happened, Fred?"

He sighed, rubbing the side of his face and moving closer to grab her hand. "We don't know. James was looking at the Map last night and found you with Dolohov. He and Sirius ran after you as quick as possible, but he was already gone when they got to you and you were… less than okay." He ran his hand through his hair and sighed again. "Fuck, Mione, he hit you hard. Cracked your head open. I don't know what spell he used, but he cut you up good, too. Looked like a bear had ripped through your middle."

"Sectumsempra," Mia whispered, a sad horror on her face.

"Whatever it was, it nearly killed you. You would've died if they hadn't gotten there so soon." He shook his head, looking at his lap now. They stayed like that for a half hour, both just thinking, before he broke the silence.

"I told the girls I would get them when you woke." Mia nodded weakly.

"Sure. Can you just… take the long way? I need a bit."

"Yeah, of course. How long?"

"An hour." He nodded and stood. He kissed her forehead gently and left, his tall frame disappearing around the corner.

" _Expecto Patronum_." Her otter shot weakly through her wand. "Go to Severus. Olerum." The otter leaped through the air and disappeared.

It took Severus twenty minutes to get there, but when he did, he looked fittingly alarmed. He ran to her, panic across his face as he assessed her injuries.

"Sano, what the hell happened?"

She offered him a sad smile. "Did you give Dolohov Sectumsempra?"

His eyes widened as he looked her over again, realization setting in. He dropped himself into the chair next to her bed.

"I-I didn't want to, Sano. I had no choice. It was before I met you, before I thought I could be saved. V-Voldemort ordered me to give it to some of the Death Eaters."

She shook her head at him. "I know that, love. I'm not upset. I merely needed confirmation that he had it."

Severus nodded sadly as she took a deep, shaky breath.

"Well, then." And suddenly she understood Dolohov's actions in the DOM and his creepy obsession with her. "I don't think I'm safe here anymore." She said quietly.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 ***Olerum is, according to Google translate, infirmary in Latin. If I got that wrong, feel free to correct me!**

 **So this chapter is longer than I expected, and it took a bit of a dark turn. I assure you, there is a reason for this. Anyway, it is once again three thirty in the morning, and I really ought to be asleep.**

 **I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Shout out to my friend from a facebook group that suggested Mia's nickname for Sirius. I love it xx**

 **Chapter Fourteen**

December 3rd, 1976

Mia stared at Sirius in silence. He was watching her carefully and she could see the gears turning in his head.

"Wanna say that again?"

"We need to do a blood bonding ritual."

"So I did hear you right. You are insane."

Mia sighed. She figured this wouldn't be easy. "It's important, Star Shine. I know how serious – don't even think about it – this is. Do you trust me?"

"With my life," he said immediately. She gave him a sad smile. His life was exactly why she needed to do this to begin with. "Look, Mia, it's not that I don't trust you. It's just… When James and I were younger, we kinda did a blood brothers thing. So you'd be bonded to him, too."

She shrugged. That didn't bother her at all. "That's fine. He's already my brother." He shook his head, sighing.

"Fine. I hope you know what you're doing, Mia."

She grinned brightly at him and kissed his cheek. "I do. I did a lot of research to find this bond." She led him over to the circle she had drawn on the floor. It was covered in runes very carefully placed. There were odd candles on the outside of the circle, and she grabbed his hand when he tried to touch one. "Don't touch anything. This took me hours to set up."

She had him stand on one side of the circle and she placed herself across from him. She grabbed his hand and twisted it so it was palm up in the middle of the circle. Pulling out her wand, she waved it over Sirius's hand, muttering in a language he didn't recognize. The entire thing felt eerily of dark magic, but he knew it must be important if she were dipping into the darker magics.

She looked at him and nodded at the knife in her hand. She was shaking a little, so Sirius gently took it from her and sliced his palm. They worked in silence as she turned his hand over, squeezing the blood onto two runes.

"Do you, Sirius of the House Black, heir of the House Black, bond yourself to me, Hermione Granger of the House Gryffindor, for all eternity?"

"I do."

"Through the Veil of Death, will you heed my call?" Sirius shivered at her words, eyes wide.

"I will."

The circle glowed a dark blue color and they both felt something around their wrists, like a bracelet, being burned into their skin. It lasted a few minutes and then it was gone along with the blue light, leaving behind a black circle on both of their wrists.

They stood there, staring at each other for a long minute before Mia grinned brightly. "Thank you."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"You did _what_?!"

"Ow, Fred, not so loud. We're not supposed to be out here." Mia chastised.

"I don't care! You _bound_ yourself to Sirius!"

Mia shrugged lightly. "It's my best option."

"It's dark magic is what it is!"

"So?" She hissed, turning into a slightly better lit corridor. "If it saves his life, I don't care _what_ it is!"

"You could be arrested."

"Not in this time. And not in the future, either. Harry wouldn't allow it. Here, I've been bound to two Ancient and Noble houses by the heirs of each. They couldn't arrest me."

"This is a really bad idea, Mione." Fred said warily.

"It doesn't matter what it is. It's already happened. Now, are you going to help me or not?"

Fred grumbled for a few minutes before nodding and setting to work. They were in the laundry room, where the Slytherins robes were being cleaned. In anticipation for the Quidditch game the next day, Mia and Fred had decided to charm the robes so that, when everyone was in the stands, they would turn into Gryffindor colors. It was simple, but it would entertain everyone immensely, especially in the middle of a game.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

December 4th, 1976

Mia was walking with her boys to the pitch before the game started. She was wearing Sirius's jersey, since she wanted to wear Regulus's name, but house rivalries made it nearly dangerous to wear his Slytherin jersey. Sirius had suggested she wear his, and his little brother agreed gratefully.

Mia had her arms linked with her boys and was grinning ear to ear as they joked and walked with them. Remus was the commentator for the game, so he was already in the box with McGonagall going over commentating rules.

When they reached the locker rooms, Mia gave her boys a peck on the cheek each, wished them good luck, and got a good seat with Fred. She was bouncing in her seat with excitement by the time the teams walked out on the field. James stood in front of McNair, the Slytherin captain, and shook his hand, though Mia could clearly see him throwing the Death Eater a dirty look.

The game started quickly and Mia smiled, hearing Remus commentating. "And the quaffle is in the air! Gryffindor Chaser James Potter catches it and passes it to Longbottom. Longbottom catches it and… he throws it and scores!" The crowd cheered loudly.

The game went on like that until Mia saw her boyfriend straighten on his broom; he had found the snitch. She glanced over to Fred and grinned. "It's time." They both raised their wands and simultaneously muttered the charm.

The effect was instantaneous. The Slytherin stands were yelling in anger as they looked at their robes, which were suddenly red and gold. The Gryffindors burst out laughing, along with the majority of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. The players, including Regulus, all spared a look at the stands. By the time he turned back to look for the snitch, it was nowhere to be seen. He searched the stands and found his girlfriend smiling innocently at him, biting the inside of her lip to keep from laughing.

"Oh, he's gonna kill me for this." Mia said happily. Fred rolled his eyes and grinned at their handiwork. It had done the intended job, and no one had even rioted, like Mia was worried about.

"Pranking suits you, Mione." Fred commented lightly.

"Don't get used to it." She laughed.

"And it looks like Vance has spotted the snitch! Black sends a bludger to Crouch who blocks it! Oh- Vance is going into a dive with Black – Regulus, that is – on her tail! And… Vance has caught the snitch! Gryffindor wins, 210 to 50!"

The stands erupted in cheers and Mia was amongst the excited Gryffindors, rolling her eyes at her pouting boyfriend.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

December 20th, 1976

"Yaxley will be given the Mark over break." Avery said quietly.

"Mm." Mia was flipping through a book of runes, frustrated.

"There will likely be attacks throughout the holiday. I suggest you be careful and make sure not to go anywhere alone."

"Mmhm," Mia responded absently, reading a page closely.

"Sano, are you paying attention?" Avery asked, gently pulling the book from her hands.

"Huh? Of course." She lied. She looked across the large room at Severus and Regulus. "Boys, come here. I think I've found something."

Her Slytherins walked over, placing themselves automatically on either side of her, causing Avery to role his eyes. He never would've imagined seeing those two flocking to protect a Gryffindor.

"Take your shirts off, all of you." Regulus and Avery took theirs off immediately, but Severus hesitated. She gave him a small, kind smile of encouragement and he took his off reluctantly. Avery wasn't surprised at the scars on his housemate's chest and back, but he saw the look of rage and horror on their leader's face. She didn't say anything, though. She just drew her wand and pointed it at her boyfriend.

"Ready to be my guinea pig, love?" She asked with an evil grin.

He narrowed his eyes at her darkly. "I trust you." She placed a kiss on his cheek and started muttering an incantation. When she was done, she drew a paw print on his chest. It glowed for a minute before settling in. She stepped back to look at her handiwork.

The paw print was small and looked like a tattoo on his ribs, but if someone of the Light touched their want to it, they'd know he was on their side. Mia had taken the idea to Dumbledore and he'd approved greatly after she informed him that she wouldn't be changing anything. He told her he'd get the news out to the Order and to make sure she did it before break.

She waved Severus over next and repeated the process. She smiled at him and pecked his cheek before turning to Avery. He stood still as she did the same on his chest. When she was done, her soft smile made him remember why he was doing this. He saw how _alive_ she was and realized that it was people like her that made life worth living.

"Thank you, Sano." He said quietly, his voice nearly a whisper.

She turned to him, shock written on her face. "It should be me thanking you. I literally couldn't do any of this without the three of you."

"Without you, I'm not sure it would be worth doing, Sano."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"FABIAN!" Mia screamed, running into the DADA classroom. She knew he slept in the area above the room, and she was desperate.

She heard a little fumbling and the door above the classroom flew open, revealing a shirtless and confused Fabian. Had she not thought of him as a brother and been extremely panicked at the time, she likely would've extremely appreciated the sight. "Mia? What's wrong?"

"Fab, I need a portkey. I need to make one and tie it to Potter Manor _now_. I can't do it but you can."

"You need a- why on earth do you need a portkey in the middle of the night?"

"Because he'll be going home tomorrow and I forgot!" She screamed, beginning to pace.

"Mia, pet, please calm down. Sit down. Tell me what's going on." He waved at a chair with his hand, transfiguring it into a comfy couch where she sat next to him, tapping her knee nervously.

"Sirius is going home to Grimmauld Place tomorrow," she started, calming her breathing as he rubbed a her back comfortingly. "And his mother will try to… sway him into becoming a Death Eater. She… she's going to torture him and leave him to… to die. So I need to give him a portkey so he can get out of there and come home for help," Mia finished, her voice shaky.

"Okay. I'll help you, pet." He said quietly. As much as she wished she could ask him to arrest Walburga Black, she knew he couldn't. There were old pureblood laws to be considered. Laws that essentially said that, unless a law enforcement official saw abuse, no one could do anything.

They spent hours charming a plain silver chain against into a portkey that could work through the Manor's wards. If he hadn't been keyed into the wards since he was eleven, it would've been impossible.

When they finished, Mia cuddled up on the couch with Fabian and fell asleep, relishing in the brotherly comfort he offered her in the midst of the panic of Sirius's impending torture.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Hey! So, I know this chapter is short and all, but I needed to get it out. The next chapter is the long awaited (okay, probably just for me) Christmas chapter.**

 **I don't know if all of it will just be in the one chapter or if I'll spread everything out between a few of them, but it should be fun.**

 **Remember, Mia and Fred have been there for about three months by now. Time is a ticking!**

 **Remember to review and I hope you enjoyed!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

"Mia, are you purposefully trying to make us miss the train, or are you just really bad at managing your time?" Sirius asked impatiently.

"Shush. I have something for you, and it's important that I give it to you now." She said, shoving a black box with a silver bow into his hands. He grinned at her cheekily.

"You didn't have to get me anything, kitten."

"Yes, I did, Star Shine. Now open it." She demanded, the seriousness in her voice surprising him. He did as she said and opened it, pulling out a beautiful but plain silver chain. "It's a portkey to Potter Manor. I had to wake Fabian up in the middle of the night to make it, but it will

take you straight there as long as you're wearing it and say ' _Portus_.'"

"Mia, I don't know what to say." He slipped it onto his neck and hugged her. "I love it." She hugged him back tightly, breathing in the smell of him.

"Excuse me, brother, but I'd like to say goodbye to my girlfriend before we get on the train," Regulus said, walking toward the two. Sirius nodded and backed away, pecking her cheek lightly, to let his brother take his place.

Regulus wrapped his arms around her, but backed up a tad when he felt her fidgeting in her robes. She pulled another black box and handed it to him. "I got you one too," She said. She knew he wouldn't use it, but she couldn't leave him without a way out. He accepted it gracefully, dropping it around his neck. "I couldn't key it to inside the wards, but you'd land just outside, and James already promised me to make sure an elf is on the lookout."

He nodded and pulled her tight against him again. It touched him how much she cared about him.

"Regulus?"

"Yes, Little Lion?"

"I love you." She said quietly. He felt his breath hitch as he looked down at her and saw the vulnerability in her eyes.

"I love you too, Mia. Forever."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Mia was sprawled across the bench on the train, her head in Remus's lap as he read to her and stroked her hair. They had settled into a comfortable friendship. He read to her pretty often when she would wake up with nightmares and Sirius was nowhere to be seen, likely with a new girl roaming about the castle. She would lie her head in his lap and let his comforting voice lull her to sleep.

Now, however, he could smell the anxiety on her. So, he had tugged her down and began reading where they left off in some obscure muggle book. Every once in a while, Mia would interject, commenting on confused grammar or how outdated the ideology from the book was, and Remus would smile to himself, knowing that if he said anything, she would try to start a debate he didn't want.

Remus thought Mia was nearly asleep when she sighed and opened her eyes, looking up at him. "You have a mate." Remus blinked at her.

"I have a _what_?" he asked.

"You have a mate. You're older than her, but when you do finally get together… Merlin, Remus, you're so happy. It's a forever kind of thing, and I love watching you two together. You balance each other out… literally. She's rather clumsy. You catch her a lot."

"I… I have a mate." He said incredulously. "But… what about- "

"You do not infect her, Remus," Mia said impatiently. "You take necessary precautions and keep her safe. Besides, you couldn't hurt her if you wanted to. It's just how mates work."

"I'm… Happy?"

Mia nodded hard. "You are _so_ happy."

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked, frowning.

"Because I wanted to see someone have hope." She said quietly.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

December 23rd, 1976

"Dorea, you don't have to do this."

"Of course I do. Now go on. We only have an hour before we need to go home." Dorea gave the girl a loving smile and patted her shoulder, sending her away to shop.

Dorea had taken Mia to Diagon Alley to do her Christmas shopping. She'd given her money and ignored Mia's protests.

Mia sighed in defeat and began her shopping. After she'd avoided it all she could, Mia entered the Quidditch supplies store for Sirius and James. She bought them each a broom maintenance kit. She left quickly, not wanting to smell broom polish longer than absolutely necessary.

Mia walked into the street, shifting her bags between her arms and promptly ran into someone. She stumbled back, about to fall, when a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders and steadied her.

"Careful there, pet." Mia grinned when she looked up to see Fabian holding onto her and Gideon next to him. She gave him a small side hug and did the same with Gideon.

"Sorry. I wasn't looking. Dorea is due to pick me up soon, and I didn't want to be late." She said. Gideon and Fabian shared a look before grabbing her bags and both wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Better let us escort you."

"Yeah. We don't want our little time traveler getting hurt, now do we?"

Mia rolled her eyes and smiled. "Thank you. I'd be fine if you didn't help me, but I appreciate it." She felt Gideon sigh.

"Mia, look. We know you're a part of the war. We really do. But Death Eaters are attacking more often in more common places. It's not safe being out in the open."

"And I'd like it if you didn't go anywhere alone. You're even less safe out here than in the castle, and after that attack…" Fabian trailed off and Mia shivered. They were right.

"Okay, fine. I'll make Jamie come with if I go out again." Mia promised. She saw the boys grin and their usual cheery demeanor returned. They were nearing Gringott's and Mia could see Dorea and Charlus waiting for her with James and Fred. When they got there, she hugged the twins tightly once more and collected her things from them.

"Charlus, Dorea, do you know Aurors Fabian and Gideon Prewett?" Mia asked politely as James, ever the polite pureblood, took her bags from her.

"I can't say we do. Pleasure to meet you. I've heard plenty about the two of you. Some of the best fighters we have," Charlus offered his hand and shook the twins' hands. Dorea offered hers and smiled when they both kissed her knuckles, a pureblood habit they'd been raised with.

"Pleasure to meet you, Charlus, Dorea. Mia's said that she and Fred are your wards?" Fabian questioned politely.

"That they are. Though they're more like our children. Feels like they've always been a part of our family." Charlus said, clapping Fred on the shoulder, who was oddly quiet.

"Mia is my best student," Fabian grinned. "And Fred has an absolutely brilliant mind."

They traded pleasantries for a few more minutes before they went their separate ways; the twins left to get the ham for Molly and the Potters all returned home, where Mia grabbed her bags and excused herself to her room.

Her room was a deep purple with a silver trim. Her blankets were a dark blue color. She had a huge bookcase in her room, which Dorea had filled with multiple rare books that Mia regarded with reverence.

She set her bags down on her bed and pulled out the jewelry box that held ten rings. Each ring was a little bit different, and she sighed. They were beautiful.

Two were nearly the same, a rich red with gold and black down the middle, but one had a stripe of brown mixed in and the other had purple. Those two would go to Fabian and Gideon.

There was another similar pair. They were each black, outlined in silver, but one had a red stripe down the middle, while the other had green. Those went to Sirius and Regulus respectively.

Another ring was a soft pink and a beautiful rich red with blue mixed in. That ring went to Lily.

One was simply Gryffindor red and gold, and that ring went to James.

Another was a soft brown with an earthy green and blue, which was meant for Remus.

One was a beautiful emerald color mixed with silver and subtle plum. That one would go to Severus.

The last two were for Mia and Fred. Mia's was purple and blue and silver, and Fred's was orange and purple.

She would give the Marauders and Severus theirs the next time she saw each of them. After Fabian had charmed the chain for Sirius, she had learned the spell on her own. The rings would take each of them to Hogsmeade, since you can't portkey directly into Hogwarts.

The other rings, she would have to wait. She knew the spell was nearly complete, and she was extremely excited that things were going ahead of schedule now that she'd stopped being impatient.

Mia sighed again and worried her lip between her teeth, putting the rings away. She remembered the night when Sirius told her that she couldn't save everybody. Was he right? She didn't want her work to be for nothing, and she didn't know if she could handle everyone dying again.

She heard a quiet knock on the door and looked up to see Dorea smiling at her. "Mind if I come in for a talk?" Mia nodded a little and Dorea entered the room, moving some bags to the floor so she could sit next to Mia.

"Did you find everything you needed?"

Mia smiled kindly. "I did, and then some."

"That's good. I hope you bought something for yourself. I know you left everything you owned in the future, and I want you to know this is home to." Mia's eyes widened as she stared at the woman across from her, mouth open a little. "Close your mouth, dear, you'll catch a bug."

"I- what? In the… I'm not…"

"Of course you are."

Mia frowned, biting the inside of her lip. How could she have known? Surely Dumbledore didn't tell her. "How do you- "

"I love James to pieces, but he's terrible at keeping secrets from me. I asked where you were from and the poor boy thought I'd figured it out and told me. I wasn't sure he was telling the truth, so I thought I'd bring it up and check. Seems you really are in the wrong time, you poor dear."

"I- poor dear- Dorea, I can't tell you anything." Mia said carefully.

"Oh, of course you can't. I just wanted to thank you. James said you watched over my grandson since you entered the wizarding community and saved his life. I know I can trust you with protecting my family, lest they need protecting." Dorea said, smiling lovingly. Suddenly Mia was reminded that Dorea was a Slytherin, and James had told her that his mother was a master manipulator.

"I have done and will do everything I can to protect everyone I can. But… Dorea… Sirius told me I can't save everyone. I'm going to try, but he might be right," she warned quietly, avoiding the older woman's gaze.

"You do what you can, but remember, you're my family too. Protect yourself as well, darling."

Mia looked up at her now, frowning. She nodded slowly. "I'll try."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

December 24th, 1976

Fred was sitting in James's room with James and Mia. He was playing Exploding Snap with James when he glanced at Mia, who was sitting with a book in her hands on James's bed, her knuckles going white from the pressure she was putting on them.

"Mia."

Nothing.

"Mia."

Nothing.

"Mione."

Nothing.

"Hermione!" He said loudly, causing her to jump. She looked up at him frowning.

"That's not my name anymore, Fred. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Well I tried using Mia and you didn't hear me." Fred sighed, ignoring James's snickering.

"What do you need?" She asked, glaring at her brother.

"You're making yourself sick worrying. I thought your fingers were gonna fall off if I didn't say anything." He smiled kindly at her as James moved to her side, wrapping an arm around her.

"What's got you so worked up, Mia?" James asked, letting her lean into his comfort. He heard her mumble "nothing" and shook his head. "It's something. Can't you tell me?" He asked, and she looked up at him darkly.

"No."

James frowned but nodded, holding her tighter while Fred gave her a sad, knowing look.

"Look on the bright side, Mia. Tomorrow is Christmas!" James said, sounding a bit like a kid. Mia gave him a faint smile.

"Yeah, it is." She threw herself back on his bed, closing her book and setting it down. "And if you wake me before seven for less than a life or death situation, I will give Lily every bit of blackmail I have on you," she paused before adding, "which is quite a lot, Jamie."

James rolled his eyes and poked her stomach. "I'll let you get your beauty sleep, don't worry." Fred watched them with a sort of sadness, trying to forget his own siblings and let himself be taken care of by his new family, but it was hard.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"You filthy blood traitor!" Walburga yelled, waving aggressively at Bella, who sent another _crucio_ at her cousin. Sirius writhed in pain, his throat burning and raw from screaming. Regulus stood in the corner of the room next to his father, spending all of his energy making sure his expression was unreadable.

Bellatrix held the crucio for ten minutes this time before Orion told her to stop. "Are you ready now, boy?" He asked impatiently. They'd been at it for two hours, and Sirius was still as stubborn as ever.

Sirius spat blood at his father and Bellatrix screamed another crucio. He was beginning to learn to ignore the pain and act as if it weren't even there. His body was balled up in as tight of a circle as possible as he endured the torture, waiting for it to be over.

Another five minutes later and Cygnus scowled, pushing his daughter's wand to her side. "He isn't worth it, Walburga. Just blast him off the damn wall. Regulus here can carry on the Black family legacy."

"Fine. He's no son of mine. Damn blood traitor." Walburga muttered angrily, leaving the room. Her husband and cousin followed, and Bellatrix did as well, but not before throwing a few deep slicing hexes at Sirius. Eventually, it was just Sirius and Regulus in the room, and his brother ran to him, pulling his chain from his robes. Sirius looked at him darkly.

"Come with me, Reg." Sirius said weakly.

"I- I can't…" Regulus said, his voice breaking. He pointed his wand at the chain around Sirius's neck and said " _portus_ ", blinking tears from his eyes. Sirius disappeared with a soft pop, and Regulus let himself fall to the ground, wishing more than anything to be with his brother.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Mia felt a burning tug on her wrist and looked down, seeing the black line turn a bright gold. It took her a few minutes to understand, and she ripped the blanket away from her and ran, stumbling down the stairs and into the drawing room, where she found a bloodied and broken Sirius. She let out a sob and ran to him, falling to her knees and lifting him into her lap. "Sirius? Love, please look at me. Please, oh fuck, please look at me," she cried, holding him tightly against her. She knew that holding someone tightly can help with the severe muscle spasms from the cruciatus curse. "Fuck- JAMIE! FRED!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, trying to wake her boys.

When they got down there, they found her covered in Sirius's blood and gripping him, sobbing loudly. It broke her to see him like this, and she was painfully reminded of his death.

"M-Mia? Oh, shit…" James said, running next to her. "Filly!" There was a 'pop' and a house elf appeared, already holding a first aid kid.

"Missy Mia already told Filly and the others about tonight, she did. Told us to be ready, yes she did." The house elf said, setting to work around Mia.

"You… Mia, you knew?" James asked, shocked. Mia nodded a little, her sobs growing louder. Fred had disappeared up the stairs, likely to get Charlus and Dorea.

"I- I did everything I could, Jamie-" she hiccupped quietly. "I gave him a portkey so- so he would come get help." She was shaking as she held Sirius, refusing to let go. James moved to her, gently wrapping an arm around her shoulders as he watched his broken friend.

"You must've saved his life, Mia."

She was spared having to respond when Dorea flew down the stairs, Charlus at her heels. "Where is he? Where is my son?!" She screamed. She ran into the room and took in the scene in front of her. She watched as the girl she began to consider her daughter held her bloody son to her chest. She watched her other son hold the girl tightly, comforting her.

Charlus moved past his wife and kneeled next to Mia. "Mia, sweetheart, we need you to let go."

"No! No he… not again." She said, staring at the golden circle glowing on her arm. Charlus followed her gaze and frowned, evidently understanding what it was.

"Please, Mia. We need to get him to St. Mungo's."

"He can't die again. I can't watch him die again," she muttered, biting her lip hard.

"He- He won't die. But we have to get him to the hospital, Mia." Charlus said, his face paling more than it already was. Mia nodded slowly, and James pulled her back from Sirius gently, folding her into his arms and letting her cry.

Charlus carefully gathered his son in his arms and walked to the fireplace. Fred had gone ahead to St. Mungo's to get the emergency team ready and was waiting for them there. Charlus stepped through the fireplace and disappeared, leaving his wife with their children.

James was rubbing Mia's back and muttering meaningless nothings to her, trying to calm her down. He watched his mother kneel beside them and vanish the blood from the carpet.

"What happened, Mia?" She asked gently when Mia had calmed down some.

"His- Walburga tried to force him to take the Mark. He- he refused, and Bellatrix… she tortured him for… hours. I never knew before now how he'd escaped but… Walburga blasted him off of the tree after that night… after tonight."

"Oh, my poor baby…" Dorea said, her heart breaking. "James, take her to her room and stay with her, alright?" He started to protest, but she raised her hand, silencing him. "I promise I'll get you both in the morning, and if his condition worsens, I'll send Filly for you."

James sighed in defeat and nodded, lifting Mia to her feet and muttering to her. "C'mon, love. Let's get you to bed. He's okay. He's okay."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Jamie…" Mia started. It had been a couple hours since they'd gotten to her room, and they'd been lying in silence on her bed, cuddled together since. "I was just scared; I didn't mean anything I-"

"Yes, you did. I saw it on your face. Don't lie to me, Mia." He sighed deeply, turning to her. "You said you couldn't watch him die again, and you meant it…" He messed his hair up, looking at her. "What happened?"

Mia shook her head, turning on her side to avoid his face. "That's not a good idea, Jamie."

"Tell me," he said, sounding more like his father than ever. "Please."

"I-," She sighed, rubbing her eyes. "Remember how I told you about Harry, Ron, Ginny, Luna, Neville and I raiding the DOM?" She asked, and he nodded shortly, waiting patiently for her to continue.

"Well, the Order found out. They came to help. The… the reason we went was because Harry had been having… nightmares… and in one, he saw Sirius being tortured in the DOM. He'd had one dream come true before, and he couldn't risk that one being true. So, we all left. The Order came to help, but… Some Death Eaters were there holding us back. I… Dolohov… he… he held me and… I watched as Bellatrix made Sirius fall back into the Veil of Death." Her voice cracked and once again, she could feel tears in her eyes and panic in her stomach. "He died. It was… the worst moment in my life. I wasn't badly injured but it was like I was unconscious for days after. Do you remember those days when Sirius and I disappeared?" James gave her a jerky nod. "Reg and I had gone back in my memories to place Mary's attacker. It brought me back to that moment. I only heard some of the things Dolohov said, and I think that was probably for the best, based on what I did hear. But I also saw him die again and… I don't really remember much from those days, either. I know Reg and Sirius stayed with me the entire time and that they tried to distract me, but…" she trailed off shakily as she pulled herself from her thoughts.

James had flipped over and was watching her face. They were nose to nose now, and he wiped away a few of her tears. "I can't imagine…"

"No, you can't, and I don't want you to try. Did Sirius tell you about the ritual that we did? That I asked him to do?"

"He just said you did a blood bond, like he and I."

"I assure you, it was nothing like yours. It… Jamie, I know I shouldn't have, but… I can't…"

"Mia, what did you do?" He asked carefully.

"It was dark magic. I know he knew, but he let me do it. It was… I'm bringing him back, Jamie, when I get back home. I refuse to let him… I can't let him leave me like that. He can't die, James. I told him I would save everyone and- "she broke off as she realized something. She _couldn't_ save James and Lily. Lily had to die to protect Harry, and James would never live without her. Mia closed her eyes tightly, not able to look at her blood brother.

"Mia?"

"I just don't know if I'm strong enough to do this, Jamie. What if Reg was right? What if I really can't save everyone?"

"Love, I think he _was_ right. It's war. People die. Sometimes you can't stop that. I know you want everyone to live, but… Some sacrifices are necessary. Some people die for the greater good." Mia stiffened. She _hated_ that phrase, the Greater Good. It was bullshit spewed by Dumbledore, and as much as she respected and cared for their late headmaster, she knew he was just a human man who made mistakes.

"Fuck the greater good." Mia said viciously. "It doesn't deserve anyone I love."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

December 25th, 1976

Mia and James had slept for two hours that night before they were woken up by a tired but smiling Dorea. She had gotten them dressed and fed and they'd popped off to the hospital right away. Mia was biting her lip nervously and James was running his fingers through his hair so much that Dorea was certain it would fall out.

Mia and James were left to sit next to their brother, each of them holding a hand. Fred had been sent home to get some sleep, and Charlus had gone with him to contact Alphard Black about gaining custody of Sirius now that he was officially disowned.

Mia felt a small squeeze on her hand as Sirius opened his eyes slowly. "Sirius!"

"Hey there, kitten." He said quietly.

"Padfoot?" James said nervously. "How do you feel?"

"Like my insane cousin helped my mother try to kill me." He laughed weekly.

"That's not funny!" Mia scowled at him.

"I wasn't joking, kitten."

Mia sighed, looking between Sirius and James before nodding at James. "I'll go get Dorea and a nurse." She left quickly, leaving the two Marauders alone.

"My mother wanted me to-"

"I know. Mia told mum and I."

"She- Mia knew?"

James nodded sadly. "She was in a bad place all day yesterday. I guess I get it now."

"That's why she gave Reg and I the portkeys… Fuck." He said, groaning. "She knew and she saved my life, Prongs."

James shrugged. "I tried pointing that out to her, but she seems to feel like it's her fault that you needed saving to begin with."

"Reg wouldn't come with me." Sirius said quietly. "He sent me home but when I asked, he said no."

"I'm sure he had a good reason, Padfoot."

"Maybe."

Mia walked back in with a large man and his mother – his adoptive mother – in front of her. When everyone was in the room, she left again. Sirius let the nurse run his tests and shove potions down his throat while Dorea held his hand. When the nurse left, Dorea took a seat next to her son.

"Alphard delivered some papers for us to adopt you this morning." She said softly.

"Sounds fine with me. You've always been my mum." He said, and Dorea smiled brightly at him.

"And you've always been my son. He's also setting up a trust for you and setting aside some properties for you. You'll be well off, including the trust we set up for you when you were eleven."

"Thanks, mum."

"You're welcome, lovebug."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"He's the third door on the left." Mia said, pointing down the hall.

"Aren't you coming, too?" Remus frowned. Mia shook her head, releasing him from the hug. "Why?"

"You should go quickly. I don't know when the nurse will be back." She said, ignoring his question.

"Mia, why don't you want to see him?" She shrugged and he frowned, waving for her to sit down with him. "What's wrong?"

She sighed, moving her arm in front of him. Her wrist was still glowing slightly, and his eyes widened. "This is how I knew he'd gotten here. It was burning – it still is – and I knew he was dying. I found him, Remus. He was… it was so bad. And I could've stopped it all. I could've prevented it, but I let him go back to that hell without a warning."

"Mia… you've said you can't change anything. Besides, he's better off free of that house. He's always said that Mr. and Mrs. Potter were his real parents, and now that's legally true. He's better this way." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close.

"I know. And I don't want to imagine what would've happened – what could happen, I guess – if he had gone back to Grimmauld Place. Have you ever been there?" He shook his head. "It's awful. It's like… it's like the entire place is one huge dementor."

"You've been there?"

"Yes. Sirius offered it to Dumbledore as headquarters for the Order and we all stayed there at the end of summer. It was horrible. He always looked like he was being… I don't know, suffocated?" She shook her head. "I've not been back in nearly a year. I don't think I ever want to go there again."

"Anyway. Come see him with me, Mia. It's not your fault that this happened, and he knows that."

"You don't know that, Remus. What if he doesn't? What if he blames me?"

"You know this is Sirius we're talking about, right? He'd never blame you, even if it were your fault. You've got him wrapped around your finger, Mia."

"I don't know…"

"But I do. So, come on. Just go see him for a few minutes." Remus insisted.

"Fine." She said stiffly, standing up with him. She held his hand tightly and looked at him. "But if he blames me, I get to say I told you so."

"And if he doesn't, then I get to say it." She scowled and they walked toward the room, hand in hand in silent comfort.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Wow, that was a bit of a long chapter. Took me a couple of days to write, actually. I kept getting stuck!**

 **Anyway, remember to review, and I hope you enjoyed!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

December 25th, 1976

Sirius looked up when the door opened and smiled, seeing Remus and Mia walking in together. He'd hoped his logical friend could talk her into seeing him. "Hey."

"How ya feeling, Pads?" Remus asked, sitting at the end of his bed. Mia stood next to him but far enough away that she could leave if he asked.

"Like shit. How was the moon the other day?"

"Shit," Remus responded, shrugging.

"This is a shit Christmas." Sirius muttered.

"At least we're all together. Er… mostly. Where's Pete?" James frowned. "Didn't someone tell him?"

"I sent him a Patronus this morning. He didn't respond, but I wasn't sure he could even cast one." Mia said quietly. "It is Christmas morning. He might be coming later." She suggested. She normally would never cover for him, but she wanted to make Sirius feel better, even just a bit.

"Can I have a minute with Mia?" Sirius asked, looking at his friends. Mia's stomach clenched as James and Remus left the room, leaving her alone with Sirius. Remus shot her a supportive look and she stepped closer to the bed.

"You knew." He stated.

"Sirius, I-"

"I knew, too."

"You- you what?" She asked, confused.

"I knew." He repeated.

"How could you possibly-"

"Because something of the sort has happened since I was eleven. Maybe not quite this bad, but it's happened. But Mia, I've also never had a way out if it did get too bad. Not to mention my brother has never sent me away. Bella went overboard this time. I'd have died if it weren't for you and… and for Reg." He sighed, shrugging slightly. "I'm not mad, Mia. You saved me. I owe you a life debt, Mia Potter."

"I- life debt? No, Sirius, you can't! It's my fault it even happened, you don't owe me anything, much less a life debt." She said stubbornly.

"Nope. Even if you buried me alive and then _renervate_ me, I would owe you a life debt… kinda. They're complicated. I owe one to my brother, too." He shrugged slightly.

"But that- that doesn't make sense! It's my fault, Sirius!" She insisted, getting upset. Sirius sighed and reached out for her. She walked closer and he pulled her onto the bed to lie next to him. She hesitantly rested her head on his shoulder.

"It is not your fault, Mia. My mother is insane, and the rest of my family isn't too far off."

"I _know_ your mother is awful, believe me. Grimmauld Place is like it's made out of Dementors, I know. But I should've warned you-"

"And then it wouldn't have happened and you wouldn't have known to warn me, and so it would've happened. No matter what, this had to happen." Sirius said, rubbing her arm gently.

"I- I guess so." Mia said, frowning.

"You can't blame yourself for everything, Mia Mine. The guilt will eat you alive." He said quietly. "Please promise me you won't." He was looking at her, and they were too close for her to look away.

"I… Fine," Mia said, defeated. Sirius grinned brightly and hugged her tightly. "Good. Now take a nap with me. James said you two only slept for a couple of hours."

Mia nodded and closed her eyes, willing herself to relax. They stayed like that for hours, even as people came to see him. It was the most restful sleep either of them had had since the night with Regulus in the Room.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

December 28th, 1976

"Sit down!" Dorea said sternly as Sirius, who was sitting across the room, tried to stand.

"Mum, I'm bored!" He said, whining like a child.

"I don't care. You are healing, and you're lucky I'm letting you sit at all! You should be lying down." She responded sharply. James was next to Sirius, snickering as he helped clean the room. The Potter New Year's Ball was coming up, and Dorea had always made the boys help clean for it. This year, Sirius had asked to help after days of bed rest. She'd only agreed on the condition that he not leave his chair and ask for anything he needed.

"Muuum!" He whined. He would never admit it, but he loved her fussing over him. He hated worrying her, and he knew this made her feel better.

"If you complain one more time, Sirius Orion, I will send you to your room and not let you out until you're completely healed!" She smirked when Sirius cringed.

"Yes, mum."

"Hey, what's this?" James asked, loud enough for his mother to hear. He'd been going through an old cupboard he'd found the day before, hidden in the wall. He was looking at a small green box. Dorea stood and walked over to him.

"Hmm. I'm not sure." She waved her wand over it and nodded. "No dark magic. Let me see," She sat down on the floor next to them and picked up the box, opening it. A small gasp escaped her lips. "Merlin…"

"Mum?"

"The House of Potter is a patriarch, right?" Her sons nodded, waiting for her to continue. "There aren't many heirlooms for the daughters of the House. Your dad couldn't find any when he and I got married, but they were rumored to be hidden all over the house." She pulled out a beautiful red and green bracelet. It was thin and the metal was twisted, like tree roots. "It seems you've found one."

"Can we give it to Mia?" James asked immediately, Sirius nodding with him. Dorea smiled at her sons brightly. "That sounds like a brilliant idea. Why don't we find something for Fred, too? We'll give it to them tonight after dinner."

Dorea summoned another small box, this one holding some rings. She handed it to James and Sirius and the boys set to work on finding an heirloom for Fred.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"We would like to welcome you two into the House of Potter." Charlus said, smiling gently at Fred and Mia.

"I thought you already did, though." Mia replied, frowning.

"We asked you to be our wards, yes, but this is… different. We'd like you to be bonded to our house." He clarified. Fred looked hesitant, and he sighed. "It won't bother any other bondings to any other houses, Ancient and Noble or not."

"I… really?" Mia said, grinning.

"Really."

"I'd love to."

"Me as well," Fred said, smiling nervously. It was a smile Mia was seeing more often now, and she was getting worried.

"Wonderful! We'll do the ceremony after dinner, if that's alright with you."

"That sounds great," Mia said, smiling brightly.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Do you, Hermione Granger, wish to enter the Ancient and Noble House of Potter?"

"I do."

"Do you promise to protect it and uphold its ancient values, and to live by the standards of a Potter?"

"I do."

"Do you swear that you will always protect those of the House of Potter to the best of your ability?"

Mia faltered. What would this magic consider the best of her ability? She looked up at Dorea, who gave her a supportive smile. "I do."

There was a brilliant flash of light around Mia, and she felt the magic sinking into her core. She was officially bonded to the House of Potter.

They'd done Fred first, and he was standing next to James and Sirius. Dorea put her wand away and stepped forward, wrapping Mia up in a loving hug. "I'm so glad you'll be a part of our family."

"Me too. I've always been… close, my entire life, but this… I have a magical family." She said in awe. She loved her muggle family dearly, but they'd never understood magic, and she often couldn't talk to them about anything. Having a magical family, even for a bit, was more than she could have asked for.

"Always." Dorea said. She placed a kiss on Mia's head before stepping back. "Now, we have something for you two." She waved to her sons, who each pulled a box from their robes. Sirius stepped to Mia and James turned to Fred. They handed the boxes over, and Mia held it carefully, like it might break.

"What is it?"

"Open it and see, Mia Mine," Sirius laughed softly.

She opened the box and gasped, eyes wide. She picked up the beautiful bracelet and looked at it carefully. "It's gorgeous!" She could hear a sharp intake of breath from Fred, but she turned to Dorea for an explanation.

"Heirlooms for girls are rare in this family. James found this one earlier and he and Sirius immediately asked to give it to you," She explained, proud of her sons. "They then picked a ring for Fred."

"It's- it's beautiful." Mia said, ignoring the tears prickling her eyes. Sirius reached over and grabbed the bracelet, securing it around her wrist. "Oh, I love it. Thank you."

"This ring is amazing," She heard Fred say. He sounded slightly overwhelmed, and she couldn't blame him. She moved around Sirius and walked to Fred, hugging him tightly. She considered offering comforting words, but she knew there wasn't anything she could say. When she released him, James clapped his shoulder.

"Welcome to the family, guys. Officially, I mean." He eyed Mia and winked, causing her to roll her eyes. He'd been questioning her about Harry more lately, and Mia tried to tell him what she could.

" _Was he interested in Quidditch? He had to be, being my son." James asked, grinning, as Mia helped him set the table for dinner._

" _He is. He's, uh, the youngest seeker in a century," she replied, laughing as his eyes lit up. "He was stopping a bully when it happened. The bully – no I won't name him – had taken something from a friend and was flying. Harry chased him and the boy threw it – it was a small ball. Harry chased the ball and caught it. Professor McGonagall saw him and took him directly to the captain of the team. I was certain Harry was going to get himself killed, but… He didn't. He's only lost a few games, and that was due to unfair circumstances and interferences. He's… amazing, Jamie."_

" _That's my boy," James said, proud of his unborn son. "Youngest seeker in a century._

"Thanks, Jamie. I couldn't ask for anyone better, especially under these… circumstances."

Sirius chuckled, his silver eyes happier than she'd maybe ever seen them. "Thank Merlin for these 'circumstances.'"

Mia looked around the room. She looked at Dorea and Charlus standing together, Charlus holding her close. She looked at Fred smiling down at her. She looked at Sirius grinning with a softness that surprised her. And finally, she looked at James. She saw Harry, but she also saw her brother by bond and by house. She saw her friend. She saw a boy that would die in a few years, but he looked so totally alive that she couldn't help but forget that.

"Yeah. Thank Merlin for that."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

December 31st, 1976

"Lily, you look… you look like a queen," Alice breathed, staring at her friend. Lily blushed brightly and shrugged.

"It's a ball, Alice, we'll all look like queens."

"Whatever. James isn't going to be able to take his eyes off of you," Marlene smirked. "He'll be drooling."

The girls giggled. She wasn't wrong. Mia entered the room quickly, slamming the door shut behind her, a frown on her face. The girls spun around and Mary moved forward immediately. They'd gotten close ever since Mia had saved her from the Slytherins.

"What's wrong, Mi?"

"Regulus is coming," Mia replied, her jaw clenched.

"Well that's good, isn't it?"

"Normally I would say yes," she said stiffly. "But Walburga and Orion will be coming as well."

There was a chorus of "ahh" as she went to her bathroom to put on her gown. It was a silver that matched Sirius's eyes. It was strapless and synched under the bust. It reached the floor and twirled around her, a silvery mist coming off of it when she spun in a circle.

When it was on, she used her wand to twist curls in her hair and pull it into a loose bun on the back of her head. When she did her makeup, it was a silver and grey ombre on her eyes, and a deep red color on her lips, almost a plum.

For jewelry, Mia slipped on her Potter bracelet and a locket she'd gotten from Fabian for Christmas. He'd sent it in the mail for her, and she opened it in her room that morning. It was a silver chain and on the end of it held a heart shaped locket with a rose through it. It opened up to a picture he'd taken of her and Fred in Hogsmeade on one side and a miniature Pensieve on the other for her to put a memory in. She'd put in a memory of her with Harry and Ron the summer before their fifth year.

When she walked out of the bathroom, her friends turned and stared at her. "What?" She looked down at herself. "Is something wrong?"

"No… Mia, you look gorgeous," Lily breathed. Mia giggled lightly.

"You're one to talk. James is gonna go crazy looking at you."

"And Regulus will, too. Er… looking at you, I mean." Lily said.

"Meanwhile, we haven't even finished our makeup!" Marlene complained. "Care to help us?" The girls set to work finishing off each others looks and talking, and Mia couldn't help but think how weird it was to have a bunch of girl friends and doing normal girl stuff with them. She also couldn't help but think that she rather liked it.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **So this chapter was short, I know! But it was important.**

 **I hope you enjoyed and, as always, remember to review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

December 31st, 1976

The girls all walked out of the room together and walked down the stairs to the ballroom. They walked down the stairs to their dates, and Frank immediately took Alice to dance. Mary had asked Remus to the ball, who had stuttered a less than confident "yes". Marlene, meanwhile, had refused to ask someone to go with her and had turned down any offers. Lily had James, of course, and Mia and Sirius had agreed to go together to avoid any unwanted dates – Sirius, while still a ladies' man, refused to take someone he didn't care for to the ball out of respect to Dorea and Charlus.

When the boys walked up, all of their jaws had dropped. James was wide eyed as he stared at his girlfriend. He grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles, smiling brightly. "You look… perfect." He said softly. "There's no other word than perfect." Lily blushed and kissed him, whisking him away to get a drink.

Remus was staring at Mary, who had a smirking Marlene next to her. Marlene shoved Mary toward Remus, and the girl stumbled, causing Remus to catch her so she didn't fall. They both blushed as she righted herself, and soon they were off as well to find a seat. Marlene winked at Mia and left to get a drink, and probably an alcoholic one at that.

Sirius looked at Mia, his silver eyes shining in the light. "Mia Mine, you look astonishing." He said, grabbing her hand and kissing her cheek. She smiled brightly at him.

"You look quite dapper yourself, Star Shine. You're feeling fine? You're not dizzy, are you?"

"I'm fine, love." Sirius laughed, whisking her out to dance.

They spent only a few minutes dancing together before Fred cut in and Sirius disappeared into the crowd, likely looking for alcohol.

"We need to go up soon. They'll be announcing us after this dance." Fred said as Mia rested her head against his chest.

"This stuff – being in the 70's, being with them, being here – it all feels so normal. But then I have dreams and I remember… this is not who I'm supposed to be. I'm not supposed to be Mia Potter, sister of James and Sirius. I'm Hermione Granger, sister and best friend to Harry Potter and… whatever I am to Ron." She looked up at Fred, biting her lip. "I feel guilty for being happy here."

"Mione, just because you feel at home here… well, that doesn't mean you can't feel at home there, too. Think of it this way: you've just gotten closer to Harry, and you can give him the gift of seeing memories of his parents."

Mia smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Fred. Now let's go. Dorea'll kill us if we're late."

They hurried to a little room behind the ballroom to find James and Sirius already there. Mia took her spot in between Sirius and Fred, with James to Sirius's other side. They'd replaced the wall with a curtain to introduce their family, so they all stood behind it, holding hands. When the curtain slid to the side, the four teenagers moved onto the small stage to stand next to Dorea and Charlus Potter.

"When Charlus and I had James, we were told we couldn't have any more children. We'd wanted more kids, but we were content with him. Then, when he came home for Christmas his first year at Hogwarts, he brought Sirius, and we knew right away we'd gotten another son. Sirius was as much our son as James. We loved them fiercely, and were blessed to have gained another child, no matter how informally it was.

"In the middle of September of this year, Professor Dumbledore came to Charlus and I and asked us to take in two kids who had no home and no family. We said yes and Mia and Fred entered our lives. We've gotten close over the months, and it feels like they've always been ours. Our little family of four became a family of six.

"Charlus and I have bonded Mia and Fred to the House of Potter. They're children of the House, as is Sirius. We love our family with all of our hearts, and we are so proud of them." Dorea smiled at her children as Charlus finished the speech, talking about Light in the Dark times. Mia felt more content than ever, not noticing the glare from across the room.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

One of the downsides to being a member of an Ancient and Noble House, Mia quickly realized, was the socializing she had to do and the dancing. She had to dance with anyone that asked, out of political requirements, and her feet were killing her. She managed to slip into a dance with Remus after about an hour and let her head crash onto his shoulder as she tried to rest a little.

"Tired?" He asked, amused.

"My feet want to jump ship. I swear it, Remus, there's going to be a mutiny if I don't relax soon." She groaned. He laughed quietly, rubbing her shoulders gently.

"You don't wear heels often, do you?"

"No. Last time was the Yule Ball in fourth year. I danced with a Bulgarian Seeker who couldn't pronounce my name. How is Hermione that hard to say?" She asked, sighing. "He was a perfect gentleman, but Ron ruined my night. Stupid jealous prat- "

"May I cut in?" She pulled her head up and grinned.

"Of course," Remus said after seeing her smile. He bowed gracefully and left, presumably to find Mary.

Mia felt Fabian slip his hands on her waist and straightened up a little, sighing. "How you purebloods can dance _so much_ is beyond me." She stated. Fabian grinned and laughed a little, winking at her.

"It's years of practice, pet. Most of us have dancing lessons as kids, as well as singing and probably piano or some instrument."

Mia shook her head and sighed. "No wonder so many of you are cranky. You're tired."

Fabian laughed and spun her a little to keep up with the song. "You're one of us now, too, love." Mia shrugged lightly. "You're wearing the necklace," He said, smiling softly at her.

"I love it, Fab. It's beautiful." She touched it with one hand. "I put a memory of me with Harry and Ron before things started getting bad. We were sitting together in Grimmauld Place. Harry was upset so we were joking around to calm him down. It worked and we had a great night. I remember wondering if the happiness I felt there was indestructible with my boys." She smiled up at him, a slight sadness in her eyes. "I think it is."

Before he could reply, there was a tab on Fabian's shoulder and he sighed. He kissed her cheek and whispered, "I'll check on you later, pet," and disappeared into the crowd.

Mia looked up and suppressed a gasp, her eyes wide. In front of her, with his hand out, was Dolohov. She realized Fabian must not have even looked at who it was before he left, because she knew he'd never leave her alone with him.

"Don't be rude, Potter." Dolohov drawled, grabbing her hand before she could turn away. "I thought we ought to have a dance." Mia didn't respond, tensing when his hands rested tightly on her waist. She scanned the room for someone that would recognize the danger, but no one was there.

"Did you know, Potter, that I was attacked in the library? I was just having a chat with some friends when I was stupefied, and then the attacker hit me with a stinging jinx." Mia's lips thinned as she listened to him speak. "I heard you were attacked in the halls, _Mia_." The hairs on her neck tingled when he spoke her name. "Wouldn't it be a shame if it happened again? Wouldn't it be a shame if someone found you walking to your common room from the library and just," he shrugged lightly, as if they were talking about Quidditch, "snatched you up?" He was close now, speaking directly in her ear. She could feel his breath and she wanted to scream, but she wouldn't give him that satisfaction. "Wouldn't want that, would we?" She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the tears to stay put. She could feel him begin to speak again when he was interrupted.

"May I cut in?" A low voice asked. She had the feeling no one would like what happened if Dolohov said no, if the way he froze said anything. She felt the man release her and knew there would be a bruise where he was holding her. She opened her eyes and only realized she had been holding her breath when she felt it sucked out of her.

The man in front of her stepped forward, holding her lightly with a polite yet kind smile on his face. He had obsidian black hair with silver-grey eyes to match. He looked like an older Sirius, and she knew immediately that she was dancing with Orion Black.

"You looked… stuck," He said gently. "Are you alright, Miss Potter?" He asked, and she nodded jerkily, forcing herself to relax.

"He and I don't… get along very well. He's not someone I feel I can relax and dance with, exactly." Well, she thought, that's one way of saying he tried to kill me.

"I see," he said quietly. "And do you feel you cannot relax for a moment with me, Miss Potter?"

"I don't know you, sir."

"I think you do. You recognized me right away."

"I may have a guess as to who you are," She sighed.

"You're close with him," he stated, ending the little game. "He trusts you."

Mia stiffened again, her gut doing a dance. "I don't know what you're talking about." For a moment, she was irrationally afraid that he meant Regulus, but she quickly remembered standing in front of everyone holding hands with Sirius and James, and James holding Sirius's other hand.

"Yes, you do," he said, sounding almost tired. "Sirius trusts you, girl."

"I'm not sure why that's any of your- "

"Because he's my son, regardless of what Walburga would say."

"I won't let her or anyone hurt him again. With all due respect, sir, Sirius is home. He's in a safe home where he is free to love who he wants and live how he wants. He is happy here and I will _never_ let that be taken away from him. What Walburga and Bellatrix and his bloody uncle did to him was vile and cruel and I am damn lucky that he's alive." She looked up at him fiercely. "I will never let you harm another hair on his head. Do you understand me?"

For a moment they just looked at each other. She wasn't worried about angering him. She knew he wouldn't try anything in front of so many people. She was, however, worried about making things worse for Sirius.

"Thank you for protecting him, then," Orion said quietly. "You'll be good for him. He'll need you."

"I- what?"

The man sighed and looked at her sadly. "My wife is… not in her right mind. What's worse is that she's got the backing of most of the family. My father has little power when only one person in the family agrees with him. So, she's been free to do what she wants to do. I try to help where I can, but it's not that easy."

"I do. Protect him, I mean. I protect him from whatever I can, and he protects me, too. We're- we're family, Mister Black. I'd die for him."

Orion smiled at her. Someone behind him cleared their throat, and Mia groaned inwardly. Orion nodded at her and walked away, leaving Mia to dance.

"You okay?" Mia brightened considerably when she heard his voice, and she grinned sweetly at her boyfriend, who held his hand out for her. "He didn't threaten you or something, did he?" Mia shook her head and, as discretely as possible, threw herself into his arms. Regulus laughed and wrapped her up, smelling her hair in a deep breath.

"I missed you. It's only been a few days and I missed you so much." She said, adjusting herself so they could dance. She melted a little under his touch and he chuckled, feeling her relax.

"I missed you, too, Little Lion. I have a gift for you, if you can tear yourself away for a bit." He quirked a brow at her and she looked around. When she didn't see anyone but Sirius watching her – she noticed he looked a bit upset – she nodded and they slipped out of the room quickly. Mia led him up to her bedroom, where she knew none of the guests would wander off to.

"I need to talk to you, anyway."

"But the gift first." He said, pulling a box from his robes. He placed it in her hands gently, and she looked at him, a crooked grin on her face. She opened it carefully and gasped, eyes wide.

"Regulus, it's- "

"Not an engagement ring. It's more of… a promise ring, as muggles put it." She knew it was probably a betrothal piece, but she couldn't find it in her to care. He slipped the ring from the box and reached for her hand, dropping it on the middle finger of her left hand.

"Is this… is it a Black family ring?" She asked, looking up at her boyfriend with wide eyes. He nodded a little.

"It is. I checked it for dark magic first, of course. I thought… well, I thought you'd like it. We'd have to glamour it while you're at school, but… I just thought…" She cut him off by wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him happily.

"I love it, Reg."

"I love you, Mia." He said, kissing her forehead. She stood on her toes and kissed him again.

"I love you, too." She said immediately before sighing. "I'd like to bring Avery up here. I can talk to Jamie and Sirius later, but… now is easiest for Avery. I'd say Severus, but he's not here." Regulus frowned but nodded, leaving the room. Mia sat on her bed and stared at the ring. Regulus loved her, and he loved her enough to give her a betrothal piece. It was a bit of an out dated practice, especially in the muggle world, but Mia didn't care. He wanted her to be _his_ and she loved that. She loved _him_.

"Sano?" She heard Avery say from the door. She stood immediately and gave him a smile as he entered her room with Regulus. She ignored the glance he gave her bedroom as she began to speak.

"I wanted to tell you both that Dolohov has issued me a threat. I- Orion saved me, I think. He was holding me very tightly and saying awful things and… Orion cut in when he noticed." Regulus was frowning, obviously confused and furious. "But he's essentially told me not to go anywhere alone or… well, I'd rather not find out what the 'or' is, since it was Sectumsempra last time."

"I'll kill him," Regulus growled angrily. The Dark Lord had even gotten angry with Dolohov, saying he needed to stay under the radar in school and that he was going to expose himself. He felt Avery put a hand on his shoulder to steady him.

"No, you won't. It would be too suspicious if you were seen being anything but impassive toward Dolohov and more so a blood traitor that's best friends with your brother. Sano," he said, turning to Mia, "will ask her boys to escort her everywhere. She won't be alone outside of her dorm again." He informed sternly. He looked angry as well, but Mia knew he was being logical.

"I was planning on it. I was going to tell Sirius and Jamie after the ball. I just… figured you two would like to know." She said, shrugging lamely.

The boys both nodded and confirmed that she was right. They didn't stay to chat, but rather left the room with a stiff goodbye. Mia sat in her room for a minute and cast a cooling charm on herself before running back down to the ballroom. When she entered, she ran straight into Frank Longbottom and was stolen away for a dance.

Meanwhile, Sirius was standing with James and Remus, watching as everyone made their polite social rounds. "She was with my father," he said after minutes of silence from the group.

"Is she okay?" Remus frowned.

"She left with Reg a few minutes after. I'm sure she's fine." Sirius replied hesitantly.

"Why was she with your dad?" James asked after a while.

"I dunno. She looked angry at first but he said something and the anger disappeared. It was… interesting. I tried to read their lips, but none of it made sense. I only noticed them in the middle of their conversation, though." He sighed, rubbing the side of his sore head. "She worries me too much."

"If this war doesn't kill us, she will," James joked, laughing a bit. Sirius flinched a little at the joke, and only Remus seemed to notice.

"I'm worried about Fred," Sirius said suddenly, not looking at his friends. "He's pulling away from everyone, and he's snapped at me every time I asked if he was okay. He's barely even talking at all," Sirius said, frustration in his eyes.

"He left everyone at home, Pads. I think he misses his family. He probably feels guilty for finding a new one," Remus observed, shrugging a bit.

"I wish we could fix them."

"Not everyone is fixable, Padfoot." James said bitterly.

"I think that's fucking stupid."

"We all do, Pads." Remus sighed.

Sirius scanned the crowd, looking for Mia. He stiffened when he saw who she was with, hitting Remus's chest.

"What the fuck?!" The werewolf said angrily, rubbing his chest lightly.

"She's with my mother." Sirius replied, shooting across the ballroom to stand next to Mia.

"-filthy blood traitor!" He heard his mother say. Mia had a dangerous smile on her face and was nodding her head along like she was listening to his mother explain how many grandchildren she had.

"I see. Walburga, I have about a million ways of insulting you. I could insult the amount of inbreeding in your family. I could insult your looks. I could insult your pureblood society or traditions. I could insult your values. But I'm not going to insult you at all. Instead, I'm going to remind you that I am a part of an Ancient and Noble House now. I am going to remind you that you have no clue how dangerous I am, especially because you've no idea who I am. I am going to remind you that your life is short and that I have the rest of mine to right the wrongs you have done. And finally, I am going to remind you that you are nothing but a whiny old woman that is probably somehow her own grandmother the way it goes in your family. You won't live forever, old woman, and I promise you that this _blood traitor_ will destroy everything you happen to love about your House and it will be rebuilt on modern day values that are not driven by hate." She spoke calmly with a smile so sweet that she was sure Walburga would need to visit her parents when they were done talking. "So I suggest you leave me alone before I have you thrown out of this party in the most embarrassing way possible."

Sirius gaped at the small girl next to him who, apparently, rendered his furious mother speechless. The large woman yelled "dirty blood traitor!" at Mia once more before stalking out of the ballroom. Mia let out a shaky breath and turned to look at Sirius. "Well, that's been coming for _years_. She's always been awful."

"Holy shit," James muttered. "Did she just take on your mother _alone_?"

Sirius grinned proudly and nodded. "She was amazing."

"She always has been, hasn't she?" Remus responded with a smile.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Mia was standing in the garden with Gideon and Fabian as everyone prepared for the fireworks to go off at midnight. She'd borrowed Gideon's cloak when he noticed she was cold so she wouldn't have to go inside to get hers.

"Are you okay, Kit? I saw you with Orion Black and wanted to help, but Lady Longbottom had cornered me. He didn't do anything, did he?" Gideon asked, watching her carefully.

"Orion was a perfect gentleman," Mia said, a bit stiffly. It didn't go unnoticed by the twins, who shared a look and stepped closer, each wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Mia, dear," Fabian started.

"We understand that you've got a hero complex," Gideon continued, rolling his eyes at her protests.

"But you'll get yourself hurt if you don't ask for help." Fabian finished, his voice gentle and full of concern.

"I'm… fine. I can handle myself, guys." She insisted quietly.

"Mia, please," Fabian tried. "We want to help you."

"I just don't think there's anything you guys can do."

"Well if you don't tell us, pet, there's definitely nothing we can do." Fabian argued.

"It's not a big deal. Orion cut in because he saw me looking… less than pleased while dancing and talking to Dolohov." She took a breath and set her jaw. "He managed to get in a few threats before Orion rescued me. Told me I'm not safe at school anymore."

"Merlin, Mia… Can't you file a report? Even just with us. We are actual Aurors, believe it or not."

"No." She said firmly, looking down. "He has to be there to hold me back in the future, and I don't know what would happen if he were kicked from school or sent to Azkaban."

"I'll watch out for you when I can, pet. People know we're friends, so seeing us walk together in the halls isn't a stretch. You'll also have your little gang to watch out for you. We'll take care of you." Fabian tried to comfort her, but she saw the worry in his eyes.

Any response was cut off by people counting down.

"TEN,"

The twins shifted closer to Mia and squeezed her between them.

"NINE,"

She rested her head on Fabian's shoulder and grabbed Gideon's hand, intertwining their fingers.

"EIGHT. SEVEN,"

She looked around the garden, spotting James curled up with Lily and whispering to her quietly.

"SIX, FIVE,"

She saw Remus standing awkwardly next to Mary, holding her hand sweetly.

"FOUR, THREE,"

Sirius was with Marlene and laughing at something she said, grinning at her.

"TWO,"

And her eyes fell on Fred who was sitting not far from her and the twins, but far enough away to be alone.

"ONE,"

She wanted to call him over to them and hug him tightly, but she didn't have the time.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

And the twins were placing chaste kisses on her cheeks, and the fireworks went off. The brightness of the light surprised her, and when her eyes had adjusted, Fred was gone, leaving her feeling curiously lonely, even with her loved ones so close.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"HE DID WHAT?!" James yelled angrily. Fred seemed to be barely holding in his anger while Remus looked ready to kill someone. Sirius, however, looked to be in a calm sort of anger. It was the anger that Mia knew people were afraid of from him, and for a moment when she looked in his eyes, she saw the insanity she'd known after he'd gotten out of Azkaban, and it sent chills down her spine.

"He threatened me." She thought it best not to mention the bruises she'd found on her waist that morning. "So, I think it would be best if one of you three or the girls stayed with me at school."

"No shit, Hermione!" Fred snapped. "I didn't like you going out alone, but now…"

"Now I will be more careful when I walk and yes, I will accept help." She assured him. "Now stop using that name," she added, frowning as Fred rolled his eyes.

The room was quiet for a few minutes as everyone processed this news and Mia assessed their reactions. After a bit, Sirius swore quietly and shifted into Padfoot, walking next to his friend and pushing himself into her side. She gave him a small smile and began to rub behind his ears, speaking quietly.

"I always loved you as Padfoot. Back home, that is. I remember one night, at Grimmauld Place, I had a nightmare. I think it was just one of Harry dying or something. You must've heard me, because you jumped into my bed as Padfoot and licked my foot until I woke up. I don't think I would've accepted comfort if you were in your human form, and you must've known that. You stayed awake with me, licking my arm, until I fell asleep. I remember the next morning waking up to Remus at the door with this weird look on his face, like he was happy at the sight but wasn't sure why. You just padded out of the room so I didn't have to talk, and Remus followed." Mia laughed softly when Padfoot began licking her arm happily. She leaned over to lie next to the dog and rested her head in James's lap, dropping her feet in Fred's lap. Sirius continued to lick her arm as she relaxed. She had expected the talk to go worse, honestly, and she was happy to have distracted them, even if just for the moment.

Mia felt Sirius pause as he licked her left hand and he pulled back, shifting back to his human form. "Mia," Sirius started, his voice painfully slow. "What is on your hand?"

"Er… a bracelet?" Mia tried.

"The _ring_." Sirius corrected, pointing at it as the other boys leaned in to look.

"Right… um, well, Regulus- "

"Gave you a betrothal piece?! The two of you do know you can't get married, right?!" Sirius asked, his voice a couple octaves higher than normal.

"Yes, of course we do!" Mia snapped. "He said to look at it as more of a… promise ring."

"But you can't wear that around school, Mione." Fred pointed out, ignoring the look she gave him for using the nickname.

"We know. I'll be placing a glamour on it."

"You really love him." James stated softly, as if it were just occurring to him. Mia nodded a little, blushing, and Remus moved to hug her.

"Well, I'm happy for you, Mi." He said, kissing her head.

"Thank you, love." Remus nodded and, with a sigh, Sirius shifted back into Padfoot as the group settled again into cuddling.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Next chapter: the gang goes back to Hogwarts! Mia will be finishing up the spell and working on charming the rings. She's got some more work to do before they can go home, though, and it might be a little frustrating.**

 **I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!**


	18. Chapter 18

**And now for a bit that I don't particularly want to write but I think is extremely important.**

 **Sigh. Please enjoy!**

 **Chapter Eighteen**

January 2nd, 1977

The Marauders and Mia and Fred had said goodbye to the Potters early that morning, insisting that they wanted to find their way to the station the muggle way. In truth, they'd decided to apparate to the station and find their compartment early so that they could ward it for safety. No one wanted to risk Mia getting cornered or hurt again.

Mia had decided to spend the trip with only Fred and Remus. She'd resumed the comfortable position with Remus right away as her nerves spiked. They'd stayed there the entire time, together. When Remus nodded off, Mia had turned her nerves to helping Fred.

"I was thinking; you know that charm I used in my fifth year that wrote 'sneak' on Marietta Edgecomb's forehead? Well, I had an idea to mix it with a few charms, and if I do it right, it'd be like a truth spell. I figure it would be great for the shop." She bit her lip nervously at bringing up the shop Fred and George owned together. She knew he'd been especially homesick lately with all of the holidays, and she felt horrible for not checking on him sooner.

"Sounds great, Mione. Tell George when we get back," Fred said flatly, waving her off.

"Fred, I know I've been- "

"We don't need to do that. You've been busy, I get it. Got stuff to do. People to save. Don't worry." She flinched slightly at the exhausted tone of his voice.

"I want to get you home to him. I'm trying."

"I know you are, Hermione." He said, a bit softly this time. He truly did know how hard she was working, but it was getting more difficult. She was in more danger now, apparently, and wouldn't even spend enough time around him to let him help protect her.

Mia looked at Remus fondly, a ghost of a smile on her lips. "We're getting you home to your family, but we're also bringing Remus and Harry a family, too." She bit her lip in thought as Fred studied her. She truly did have too big of a heart for her own good.

"I know that. If anyone deserves a family, it's them. At least Moony had a family growing up, but Harry… He's only had mind and Sirius and Remus, not to mention you. It's not the most conventional family for him."

"But at least he'll have something," Mia finished, nodding.

"It's worth it to me, too, you know." Fred said, looking at her. "I may be without my other half, but if there's anything we can do here… I wouldn't trade this for the world, Mione. Not to mention seeing you so… happy."

Mia gave him a loving smile. "I know the war is starting here, too, but… Here I'm not one of the three most wanted people in the wizarding world. At the rate it's going, the ministry will be overrun by the end of summer. Here, there's still a year or two, and then they don't have too long before Harry kills Voldemort. Here, it's all just starting and it's all new. The worst I am here is a blood traitor, which is better than a mudblood." She finished bitterly, ignoring the way Fred recoiled at the word. "We only have a few months, Fred." She changed the subject so he wouldn't yell at her.

"I know."

"I've figured out how to modify their memories." She said nervously. Fred's eyes grew wide, and he waited for her to continue. "It's a mix of Occlumency – which is how I plan on saving Alice and Frank – and a Notice Me Not charm. I can remove it when we get back to the future. I'll be placing it on Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Pettigrew," she spat the name, "Alice, Frank, Mary, Marlene, and I'll be asking Dumbledore to Obliviate McGonagall and any other teachers we'll both be having in the future. Er- except Binns. I suspect he'll just ask him very nicely to keep our secret. I don't really think you can Obliviate a ghost, can you?"

Fred shrugged, amused at the idea of Binns trying to keep a secret. "I don't think so. George tried to in our sixth year and got us a month's detention and a Howler from Mum."

"I remember that! You opened it for him and Ginny and I had to leave the hall so we could laugh. Lee had fallen off his seat by the time we'd left." She was grinning evilly at the memory, and he couldn't help but smile at seeing her so happy.

"We spent most of the detentions with McGonagall. She went pretty easy on us. Even offered us tea by the end of the night."

And so they went on, talking about their time at Hogwarts and laughing together about the future and their friends and Fred couldn't help but feel a little bit of hope when he sat with Mia while Remus was sleeping. He saw a little ray of hope when staring at his little brother's best friend, and he was going to hold on tight.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Severus," Mia said slowly, "I've got to tell you something."

"Mm?" He responded, distracted. He was twisting his wand about a book, testing it for any dark magic.

"Please pay attention." She said sternly, channeling Mrs. Weasley. Severus looked up at her in shock, but he put the book down and his wand away, waving her ahead.

"Well, you see… I'm… not exactly _from_ here." She said. She'd agreed with Regulus that they would need Severus to help with the Occlumency since he was so well practiced.

The Slytherin Mia was sitting on snorted, still reading a random book he'd picked up on the way into the Room. "Try to be blunt, love, or this will take you as long as it took to tell me."

"That's not fair, Reg, you had a wand to me! You wanted to know _everything_ , and that takes a while!"

"Yes, I seem to recall it does."

"Shut it."

Severus looked between the bickering couple with growing nerves. They were keeping something, and he knew Regulus was on guard and not simply relaxing with a book. He figured that if he so much as reached for his wand, his friend would have him on the floor before he could blink. "What are you two trying to say?"

"She's from the future," Regulus said shortly. Severus frowned, waiting for the rest of the joke. When none came, he blinked.

"Come again?"

"I'm- er- I'm from the future." Mia said quietly.

"The future." He said slowly. "As in, the future."

"Yes, the future, idiot. As in not this time." Regulus snapped. Severus could see him force his shoulders to relax as he placed a possessive arm around Mia.

"How- care to elaborate?" He said, being as careful as possible.

"Well, I was born September 19th, 1979." Mia poked Regulus as he opened his mouth, and Severus guessed his friend had been going to make a joke she didn't like much. "And I went to Hogwarts for my first six years. At the end of my sixth year, something happened that sent me back in time." He could tell by the emotions flashing across her face that there was more to it, but he decided not to push.

"And how am I supposed to believe this? That's… unlikely."

Mia sighed, readjusting herself so she was facing him but still sitting on her boyfriend. "Use Occlumency,"

"Mia _no_ ," Regulus protested immediately. "I will not let what happened last time happen again."

"That's only because you were chasing someone associated with a… a bad memory. He'll just be checking to make sure I'm not lying." She argued.

"I will not risk another panic attack! He could check whatever the bloody hell he likes when he's in there!" Regulus snapped, and Severus recoiled, slightly hurt.

"I would not look at something she would not want me to see." Severus insisted immediately.

"See? And besides, I'll kick him away from anything painful or unnecessary."

"No. Mia, I will not risk it. If he can't trust you-"

" _Petrificus Totalus_!" Mia yelled, waving her hand at her boyfriend. Severus cringed at the action. "I'm sorry, love. Yell at me all you want when we're done. I'll let you."

Mia turned to Severus. "I trust you," her tone was warning, but there was something else to it, like she just really needed him to know. He nodded shakily and pointed his wand at her.

" _Legillimens_ ," he hissed, and he was sucked into a memory.

 _Hermione was standing next to Remus Lupin, wand in hand, with tears streaming down her face. She heard someone sobbing behind her and turned to help them, but found her legs giving out instead. Remus grabbed her before she could hit the grass and pulled her into his chest as she let the sob that had built in her chest out. They stayed there for a few minutes before she turned in his arms so she was still being held but now had her back to his chest. She looked across the grass at Dumbledore's body and found Harry next to him. She saw her best friend close the old man's eyes and shook her head silently in denial._

 _xx_

 _It was three days later and they were at a funeral. Hermione had been sitting next to Harry and Ron when she turned to them quietly. "I need to take a walk alone. I'll find you two later." Before they could protest, she'd run out of the room and found herself walking through the castle. She walked quietly through the dungeons and into the potions room. Her eyes ghosted over the classroom as she walked to the Professor's desk, pulling out her wand. She pointed it at a picture frame and she could see a red haired girl with-_

"No." Mia said firmly as she pushed Severus out of her memory. "Not that part."

He nodded shortly and waved his wand, asking for permission. She took a moment to collect herself before nodding, and he flew off into another memory.

 _Hermione was in the Forbidden Forest with Fred and reached out to grab a wand from him. When her fingers touched the wand, she felt a familiar sensation in her core. Time travel. She was paralyzed, and Fred seemed to be as well. The pull grew painful, and she soon passed out from the pain, feeling like she was being ripped apart._

 _When she woke later, she looked up with a relieved sigh to see Harry. "Harry!" She yelled. She moved to hug him and, underestimating her leverage with the position Harry was in, tackled him to the ground. He let out a pained "oomph" as Hermione untangled them, blushing._

" _Hermione?" She herd Fred call._

 _Hermione looked at her friend and felt her eyes widen considerably as they fell on a young Sirius Black standing next to Fred. She felt fear grip her gut and realized it must be obvious as she vaguely heard Fred mumble something as he pulled her into a side hug. She looked up at James, who was staring at the pair in wonder._

" _Harry? Who's that? I'm James, James Potter."_

And then Mia shoved him out again, determined to keep as much of the future possible a secret.

"You're… from the future." Severus said weakly. Mia rolled her eyes and nodded.

"And I've found a way to get back, but I need your help making sure no one remembers I was here to begin with."

"How?"

"Occlumency." She said evenly.

"Of course I'll help, Sano." He bowed his head a little in amazement. She smiled and kissed his cheek lightly.

"Thanks, love. Now you might wanna get out of here before I unbind him. He's going to be angry." She said solemnly. Severus rolled his eyes at the understatement and left, leaving Mia alone with her frozen boyfriend.

"Now, Regulus, before I let you go, do remember that you love me." She pecked his lips and stood up, walking across the small room before she pulled her wand and pointed it at him. "Finite." She said, cancelling the full body bind.

Regulus was up in an instant, his eyes glowing in anger as he stalked across the room to her. His mouth was set and he was silent for the moment it took to reach her. He stared down at her, the height difference helping him to look more dangerous, and she could see a tad bit of the Black family insanity in those eyes.

"Hermione," he started slowly, his voice lower than she'd ever heard it. "that was a very bad idea." He was burning holes in her by now and she broke his gaze, looking down.

"He was getting anxious and I trust him."

"So do I, Mia. With _my_ life. Not yours." He put his fingers under her chin and lifted her head, forcing her to match his gaze again. "If you'd had a panic attack or something else had happened and he couldn't help, I wouldn't have been able to help you. What if he found out anything about himself? What if he saw something he didn't like? Did it ever occur to you that he could've hurt you on accident?!" Regulus demanded, his eyes angrier than ever.

"But he didn't! Nothing happened!" Mia protested, growing more and more uncomfortable with looking at the growing instability in his eyes.

"But it could have!" He was nearly screaming now, and he seemed to ignore her flinch if he'd noticed it. "He could very well have lost control and sent you back to a traumatic time! He could've hurt you, Mia, and you don't seem to understand why that is a terrifying idea to me!" He reached out and grabbed her shoulders roughly, interrupting whatever response she tried to give him. "If I am going to die, I will spend the rest of my life protecting you. And I swear that on my bloody magic." He snapped it at her, but Mia could feel a magical string tug at her core as Regulus continued on. "I swear my wand and my magic to you, Mia, because as long as I live, I will not let anyone harm you if I can help it."

And then a soft golden buzz enveloped them as their magical cores tugged tightly, and it took Mia a minute to understand. When she did, she shrugged his hands off of her shoulders and hit him as hard as she could.

"You bloody moron! You just swore fealty to me _on your magic_! You can't take that back!" She screeched at him as he gave a small, smug smile. His mood had flipped so quickly she thought she had whiplash.

"I know I did, Mia love."

"You will _die_ if you break that oath, you bumbling idiot!"

"Mmhm," he responded cheekily.

"I will kill you. You are such an idiot!"

"Actually, I think that's the best resolution to this situation, and I'm pretty happy with it." He smirked, and Mia wondered if that smirk was something you were forced to learn upon entering the house of the snakes.

"You're so stupid," Mia stated, letting herself calm a little.

"Whatever you say, Little Lion." He grabbed her wrists as she tried to hit him again and pulled her to him, kissing her nose. "But I'm your stupid."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Mia stomped into the Gryffindor common room after Avery dropped her off – she was still angry with Regulus and refused to let him, so they'd called Avery. She huffed her way over to a couch and slammed herself down into James's side. Lily and James gave her a look and she shook her head. She didn't want to talk about it until Sirius had come back from whatever date he had lined up for the night.

"James Potter, you've got N.E.W.T.S to take and you should be studying!" She heard Lily scold while James shrugged lightly and flip through a hand written Quidditch book that Mia guessed was his play book.

"We have this argument every night, Lils, and it always ends with us kissing. Can we just skip straight to that?" James asked, giving his girlfriend a cheeky wink. Lily sighed, exasperated, and turned to Mia.

"How was that thing tonight with Regulus and Severus?" She asked quietly. Lily had known about her relationships with the boys since they'd started, but the rest of Gryffindor – or the school, for that matter – couldn't know.

"Severus was lovely. I asked him for a favor and he offered his help immediately." She paused to scowl darkly. "Mister Black, however, was a complete and utter prat."

"I'm a what now?" She heard Sirius ask from the portrait hole. She rolled her eyes and stood.

"Not you," she waved him over quietly. "Your dumb brother."

Lily rolled her eyes and stood, yawning a bit. "I'll let you three talk. I need to get some actual rest tonight." She gave her boyfriend a quick kiss goodbye and left the room, apparently too tired to remember her books. Mia sighed and levitated them after her friend with a flick of her hand.

"What'd he do?" Sirius asked, his voice carefully calm. "Did he hurt you?"

Mia wrinkled her nose at the idea. "No, of course not. But he's going to get himself killed," she offered as an afterthought. Sirius just frowned and waited for her to continue, and James was listening quietly as he flipped through his Quidditch plays.

"We got into an argument and he swore fealty to me… the binding kind."

James's head snapped up and Sirius's jaw dropped. They both knew how serious such a thing was, and it was a very rare occurrence now.

"He- he did _what_?!" Sirius sounded alarmed, and Mia knew it was because he knew more about the constant danger she was in than any of the other Marauders.

"He was just telling me how I was being reckless – I was not, so don't get worried – and complained about taking care of me. He then went on to make the oath before I could stop him… though he threw in a couple of colorful words for emphasis." She said angrily. He was going to get herself killed, and she was beyond angry for it.

"Mia, I… I think this is a good thing," James said quietly. When his friends looked at him as if he were crazy, he spoke quickly. "I mean, we all know he would die for you anyway. It's just now he's got no choice but to protect you, and while I know you don't need it… well, it makes us all feel better knowing you have backup." He picked his words carefully as he watched her face.

"He should never get hurt for me. That's just stupid, Jamie." Mia snapped.

"No, I… I think he's right," Sirius said, surprising Mia.

"Excuse me?!"

"Prongs has a point. And I think it would be good if we all swore fealty as well-"

"If you ever suggest that again," Mia said in the most frightening voice Sirius had ever heard, "I will remove myself from your lives permanently."

She would've just told him that some day, he'd watch her be hurt and instead go to protect Harry, and that he wouldn't remember her, but they didn't yet know the plan to make them forget.

"I- Right, then. No fealty." James said weakly, breaking the silence.

Mia nodded sharply and removed herself from James's side. "Goodnight," she said with what she hoped wasn't a sneer, and ran up to the dorm rooms.

The last thing they'd hear her say that night was "Boys are fucking stupid!" and they turned to each other, both slightly bewildered by her frustration.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Hey! So this entire chapter did not go as planned. But my muse had plans, and who am I to tell the scary thing no?**

 **I hope you enjoyed, and remember to review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey!**

 **So, this chapter is dedicated to Alytiger, who went through and reviewed a ton of chapters at once and really gave me a big push to keep going. Thank you! (I'd have put this in one of the earlier chapters, but it totally didn't occur to add it to one I'd already written. Oops!)**

 **Anyway, I just posted like four or five chapters in the space of two hours. That would be because I am in impatient writer, and my poor beta has school and work and said she'd go through them when she had the time.**

 **Now, for the fun part! I'VE PUT UP A DRABBLES AND SHORT STORIES THING! So, if you wanna read some extra bits, you can click on over to my profile and find it! (It's really not hard, it's the only other thing there.)**

 **The first one will be a one shot on Remus holding Harry back when Sirius falls through the Veil.**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

 **Chapter Nineteen**

January 3rd, 1977

It was nearly two in the morning when Remus woke up and snuck down to the common room. His insomnia was getting worse as the full moon grew closer, and he wanted to at least use the time to do his Charms essay.

When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he spotted Mia and Fred huddled together, talking. Before he could move to sit with them, he heard them talking quietly.

"-had a thought." Mia said with a tinge of sadness.

"Hmm?" Fred responded, petting her hair absently.

"We should tell Remus about the DOM." She said hesitantly.

"What?!" Fred said, straightening up. "Are you insane? He'll go crazy!"

"Yes I _know_ , but he held Harry back when it happened. If he didn't… if he didn't, I've no doubt Harry would've died, too. He wanted to run into the veil, Fred!"

 _Who else died?_

"But if he knows, won't he just try to stop it?" Fred questioned. He seemed to be considering it now.

"Not if we make him take an Unbreakable Vow." Mia responded darkly. Remus sucked in a breath, wondering what on earth could be that important.

"It's your call, Mione. I don't like the idea, but I can't stop you."

"Remus will you come here?" He froze, eyes wide. He was caught.

Remus walked slowly to them and sat next to his friends carefully. "How'd you know I was there?"

"I heard you breathing," Mia shrugged. "You breathe loudly. Really should work on that. It could get you killed during the war."

"I- Okay."

"Will you take the Vow?"

Remus hesitated. He knew whatever she wanted to say had to be important if she wanted to put him in this danger.

"Yes."

Mia nodded her head at Fred, who just sighed and pulled out his wand as Mia and Remus held each other's forearms.

"Will you, Remus Lupin, keep our secrets tonight?"

"I will."

"Will you promise not to try to change the future?"

"I will."

"And will you protect Harry when we request you protect him?"

"I-I will."

Fred lowered his wand as the tendrils of flame settled into their arms and magical cores. Mia bit her lip hard and looked between her friends for a moment before throwing herself at Remus and hugging him tightly. He hugged her back hesitantly and frowned.

"Uh… Mia?"

"I'm so sorry," she mumbled into his chest. "I'm going to fix it; I'm going to save him."

"Fix- Mia what are you talking about?" _'Harry would've died, too.'_ "Mia, who died?"

"S-Sirius," she squeezed him tighter, but Remus felt his entire body go cold and numb very quickly.

"No…"

"Remus I promise you, I'm going to bring him back." She raised her wrist to show him the line of magic across it. "That's why I did this. So I can… so Harry can have him back. But Remus, we have to ask you a favor."

"A… what?"

"The night Sirius dies, we're… there. You, me, Harry, and more of the Order and some other students. I was being… held by Dolohov, so I couldn't save him. But when Sirius dies, Harry tries to run into the Veil after him. To-to save him or join him, I've never been sure. But you held him back, which I always thought was odd. Sirius was your best friend and I figured you'd be overcome with grief. But I think… I think and now know that you knew. So… Remus, we need you to do exactly that. We need you to hold Harry back." She looked up at him, her eyes dark. "Save my best friend, Remus. Please."

Remus nodded dumbly and glanced back at the dorms. "Sirius…" They'd all known that battle was one of the worst nights of Mia's life, but she'd never said what was so horrible. Now he knew, and he couldn't blame her one bit.

"I know, love." She squeezed him and rubbed his back gently as Fred went back to bed, leaving them alone.

They spent that night like they always did when neither could sleep. Mia lied across Remus and he read to her in a shaky voice. Every once in a while she would take the book from him and read to him instead. They stayed up all night like that, and James found them cuddling with a book in the common room, looking like a pair of lost puppies.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

January 9th, 1977

"Sano, you've got to talk to him sometime," Severus tried. Mia had been avoiding Regulus for days now, and Severus was tired of the look Regulus constantly had on his face now.

Mia tilted her head up and crossed her arms. "No. Not until he admits he's an idiot and finds a way to take it back."

"You know as well as I do that he couldn't even if he wanted to. And he definitely doesn't want to."

"It was stupid!" Mia snapped. "I'm trying to keep him from dying, not to get him to die _for_ me!"

"Would you rather he die for the Dark Lord?" Severus responded calmly. Mia faltered before scowling at him.

"That's not the point."

"Then what is?"

"I don't want anyone to die for me." She said quietly.

"Mia, this is war. People die for people. It's just a part of life. But he's in love with you. He wants a reason to die, should it happen, that he doesn't loathe. You give that to him, and it makes him… happy."

"I just… Sev, I don't want him to die at all."

"Is he going to die, Mia?" Severus asked slowly.

"I… yes." She looked away, biting her lip hard. "But I've found a way to save him."

"Then what's the problem?" He questioned gently.

"I just… I love him." She said stubbornly.

"I know, Little Lion. Which is why I think you two should make up."

She sighed before hitting her head on the back of her chair repeatedly. She hated admitting she was wrong.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

January 13th, 1977

"You got it!" Fabian yelled excitedly. He was grinning ear to ear as Mia finished the spell and put her wand down carefully.

"I… I do? Oh Godric, I do!" She squeaked happily. "I can start making the rings!"

Fabian moved around his desk and picked her up in a hug, twirling her around. "I'm so proud of you, pet." He set her down and winked at her. "You only blew up my office once!"

"Oh, Fab, thank you so much. I couldn't have done this without you. I'm so excited!" She grinned up at him happily as she thought of Harry and Ron and _Sirius_.

"Anything for you, pet. So, does this mean you'll be going home soon?" He asked carefully, raising an eyebrow.

"No. I've got some more things I need to do, and I have ten rings to charm." She responded with a shrug.

"You've got- Merlin, Mia, ten rings?"

She nodded a little. "I've got people to save, Fab."

"Who… who are they going to?" He asked, realizing that it never occurred to him that she could make more than a few.

She frowned a little, obviously considering whether or not to tell him. "Regulus gets a timekey. And… so do James and Lily. A couple other people get them, too. Then some people get plain portkeys. Severus, Sirius, Remus. Then there's obviously mine and Fred's rings."

"Wow," Fabian breathed.

"I considered making more, but I don't know enough about some people's… deaths to save them." She sighed. She hated knowing some of her friends would die, but there wasn't much she could do.

"I can help you set up the normal portkeys if you want, pet."

She gave him a bright smile and nodded. "That'd be great. Thank you."

"Course. Oh, Gid wanted me to ask if we can all meet at the Hog's Head on your next Hogsmeade weekend."

Mia bit her lip gently. "That's next weekend, right? It should be fine."

He nodded at her. "Sounds good. I'll let him know. Now, why don't you go celebrate with your friends? We can celebrate next weekend. I'll buy you a Butterbeer or some Firewhiskey, if you want."

She gave him another quick hug and nodded, picking her wand up and running out to tell her friends.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

January 22nd, 1977

"You're sure they'll work?"

"Well, I tested mine not two minutes ago, so I'd say yes, they will work. And either way, it's better than nothing, Fred." She sighed, taking his arm. "Come on, we'll be late."

They walked into the Hog's Head together, both looking extremely nervous. Mia had spent the majority of the past two weeks working on Fabian and Gideon's rings. She hadn't slept much and had actually skipped some classes.

They spotted the twins and walked over, taking their usual seats of Mia with Fabian and Fred with Gideon. Mia was biting her lip hard as she looked at the twins. Before either of them could speak, she flicked her wand around them, raising a privacy bubble.

"I've got something for you two."

Fabian frowned before his eyes widened. "You don't mean…"

"I'm sorry." She said, nodding once.

"When…?" He asked quietly.

"Mum said she went into labor when she heard the news and had George and I," Fred answered, his voice tight.

"What are you three talking about?" Gideon interrupted, frowning at them. Mia pulled out two ring boxes in explanation, handing one to each of the twins. They opened the boxes and Fabian let out what seemed like a defeated sigh.

"We die, apparently. Or we were going to, at least." Fabian answered, staring at his ring.

"Oh."

"I'm sorry we lied," Fred started painfully. "But… time. Mia said we couldn't stop that day from happening."

"But I realized we could save you. That's why we stole the time-turner, actually, was for you two. Fred only pointed it out after that it could take us home."

"You broke into the DOM and stole an experimental and new piece of magic… to save our lives?" Fabian said slowly.

"To be quite fair, it's only experimental and new to you. I've used it before," Mia corrected with a shrug.

"We just… Mum told George and I growing up how much we were like the two of you, and I think it hurts her a bit. I want her to have her brothers back." Fred took a deep, shaky breath.

The twins shared a look before Fabian hugged Mia tightly and Gideon hugged Fred. They were going to live, even if they missed a few years, and that meant more to them than they could say.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"It's just the book store, Star Shine, calm down. Do you really want to spend an hour in here, bored out of your mind?" Mia reasoned. "Besides, the Quidditch supply store is right next door. If I need you, I could just yell."

Sirius frowned at her in frustration, but gave in anyway. "Fine. But if anything seems off at all, you call for me."

Mia nodded and gave him a mock salute as he kissed her cheek and walked into the Quidditch store. She opened the door and took a deep breath, smelling in the scent of books. It was one of her favorite smells, and she loved coming in the old book store. They had a selection of rare muggle books that no one payed much attention to, but she spent her time picking at. She could've sworn that Shakespeare's lost folio had probably ended up there at one point.

Mia wandered to the back to the auto biographies, waving a quiet hello to the owner. She spent a good fifteen minutes back there, shifting through the gentle copies. Every once in a while she would pick something up and read the back before setting it down again. She didn't have any real idea of what she wanted, but shuffling through books always helped her relax and feel more centered.

She'd been in the store for about a half an hour before she heard the jingle from the door. She was hidden behind some bookcases, but she could clearly see a bush of black hair come through the door. She felt herself go on red alert as she looked around carefully for a way out that wasn't the front.

"Have you got the book I asked for?" She heard a shrill voice say.

"N-not yet, ma'am. It won't be in for another week," the owner replied nervously.

"I told you I needed it today!" The woman yelled angrily.

"P-please, I couldn't get it yet! It doesn't work like- "

"I don't care what it works like!" The frustrated woman shrieked. "Crucio!"

Mia's heart stopped. She refused to let this happen. She pulled her wand out and stepped out from behind the bookshelf. "Stupef- "she started to yell, but the woman was faster.

"Expelliarmus!"

And Mia's wand shot out of her hand. She sucked in a breath and walked forward as the woman trained her wand on Mia. "That's illegal, you know," Mia said, distracting the woman long enough for the owner to finish slipping away.

"And what do you care, girl?" She snarled.

"That's an innocent man you were torturing!" Mia yelled back. Her mind drifted to Sirius, and she felt rage fill her.

"He failed to do what I told him!"

"It doesn't matt-"

"Crucio!" Bellatrix yelled harshly.

Mia's breath was sucked from her as she dropped to the ground painfully. She felt her body shaking as pain wracked through every bit of her. Someone was laughing cruelly, and she would've sworn it made the pain worse. It went on for what felt like forever. She felt it stop for a second, and then begin again, and she decided the moments where it had stopped were the worst parts, because she knew what was coming. She tried to count the amount of times it happened, but she couldn't.

"Filthy blood traitor!" Bellatrix shrieked at her, sending another crucio. Mia had found early on that she couldn't scream, and she thought that was incredibly cruel. After what felt like days but she would later realize was just a half hour, Mia finally passed out from the pain. The last thing she saw was the door to the shop opening, and familiar black pants running toward Bellatrix.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Sirius sighed impatiently as he tapped his foot. James rolled his eyes at his best friend.

"Why don't you just go get her if you're so anxious? It's been an hour by now." James suggested. Sirius sighed again and nodded shortly, walking out of the store and leaving James alone to look at the new gloves he wanted on his own.

Sirius turned the corner and felt his stomach knot when the door to the bookstore was locked. He pulled out his wand and muttered a rushed " _alohomora_ " and stormed in to see his deranged cousin torturing his best friend. He froze for a minute in absolute horror before he silently disarmed Bellatrix. She whirled around to face him and sneered.

"You dare take my wand?!" She screamed, moving closer to him.

" _Stupefy_!" He yelled immediately. He knew she could torture without her wand and didn't feel like dealing with that. " _Petrificus Totalus_!" He added, just to be safe. When she was out of the way, he moved quickly to Mia, who he noticed had fallen unconscious at some point. The terror in his heart dissipated very slightly when he felt for a pulse and, however faint, found one.

"JAMES!" Sirius screamed. "It's okay, it's okay Mia. You're okay." He muttered quietly, picking her up to hold her in his shaking arms. "You'll be okay."

James came storming in and the door slammed against the wall with how hard he yanked it open. His eyes searched the store for only a moment before landing on his best friend holding Mia. He threw himself across the room next to them.

"What the fuck happened, Padfoot?!"

"Bellatrix," Sirius choked out, painfully holding back tears. "Get Auror Prewett to arrest her."

"N-no…" They heard a small voice say. The brothers looked down at a violently shaking Mia in wonder.

"Did you say _no_?" Sirius demanded.

"She… still has a role to play…" She said weakly. "Get me to the Room and get… please get Reg." Her breathing was unsteady, and her pulse was still weak. The boys exchanged looks before nodding. Sirius stood as carefully as he could, but Mia still groaned in pain. She pointed weakly to something, and James spotted her wand on the floor next to Bellatrix. He grabbed it and frowned more before pointing his own wand at Sirius and Mia, disillusioning them and silencing them.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Yikes. So. There's that little bit.**

 **I decided to make Bella torture him for seemingly nothing because, well, she's not exactly stable. Beyond that, the war is picking up, and that sort of stuff is becoming more and more common. She immediately took her frustrations out on Mia because Mia is a blood traitor, associated with Sirius, and she dared to intervene when Bella was torturing an innocent man.**

 **I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!**


	20. Chapter 20

**HOLY SHIT, LOOK HOW MANY CHAPTERS. IT'S NOT EVEN BEEN A MONTH YET? OH MY GOODNESS, I WOULD TOTALLY DO A HAPPY DANCE IF I DIDN'T KNOW I WOULD FALL OVER!**

 **Anyway, I love you all. You're literally so sweet. Just thought I should tell you!**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

 **Chapter Twenty**

January 22nd, 1977

Regulus was smashing things. He was currently throwing a tea cup angrily at a mirror. They clashed so hard that both broke with a loud crack. He screamed some rather colorful curse words at nothing and threw a plate the room offered him. It hit the wall hard, and he screamed in anger again.

This went on for nearly two hours. He was in a warded and silenced part of the hospital like room that had been requested. Mia laid unconscious on a bed with Remus, James, Sirius, and Fred surrounding her, while Severus and Avery sat and watched Regulus throw his temper tantrum.

When Regulus finally slowed down, he was drenched in sweat and had tear tracks down his cheeks. The Room had vanished anything he'd broken immediately, so Regulus just collapsed on the ground. He fell silent then, and waited there for his broken girlfriend to wake up.

"I don't know how it happened," Sirius said quietly, hours of silence having passed. He knew on some level that his little brother was having a bit of a break down, but he was, too. He also knew his brother would blame him for this, but he didn't mind, because he blamed himself, too.

"I know-"

"She said she would just be looking at books. She said she'd yell for me if anything looked wrong." He continued shakily. "I told her to yell for me. She saw my cousin and knew what she's done and she still didn't yell for me."

"Because she knows what your cousin's done," Fred said darkly, his voice barely above a whisper. "She knows and she was being careful. I don't think it would've gone much better if she'd called for you."

"It shouldn't have happened," Sirius said lowly.

"Of course it shouldn't have," James snapped. "But it's not doing us any good to think about that, now is it?"

"I'm just… I could kill her." Sirius said with a sigh. He felt useless. One of his best friends, a girl that was like a sister to him, was being tortured while he'd been picking out gloves, and he hadn't had a clue. It didn't seem right to him, and it made him furious.

They all paused when Mia twitched a bit, and Remus moved to her and began muttering soothing words to her. He'd been quiet except for every time she moved, and he'd refused to comment on the incident so far. He was very protective, and Sirius realized with a start that Remus considered Mia pack.

"Sirius, he wants to talk to you," they heard a voice call – Avery, Sirius thought. He sighed and stood, giving his friends orders to take care of her. He walked numbly into the warded side of the room, where he saw his brother in the midst of his break down. He was a mess with sweat dripping and mixing with tears on the floor. He'd somehow torn his robes and cut his leg, and Sirius pulled out his wand with another sigh and carefully sat next to his baby brother, waving his wand over him to heal him.

"Why wasn't she protected?" It was sharp and dangerous, but Sirius didn't care.

"We were just next door. She told us she'd… she'd yell if anything looked off."

"You're supposed to be protecting her! I can't do it! She's already got Dolohov on her tail, and now Bellatrix will be after her, too!"

"I know." It was quiet, but Sirius refused to defend himself.

"She shouldn't be like this, Sirius." Regulus shook his head and took a breath. "I want two people with her at all times, now. She'll be telling the Dark Lord that you protected her. She's not only a blood traitor now, brother. She's a blood traitor with a target on her back. They'll be watching her."

"I-I know. We'll watch her."

Sirius heard Snape breathe out in a huff, and he couldn't even bring himself to care.

"The three of us will do what we can," Avery said slowly. "But we can't do very much. You know that. So just be careful with her."

Sirius nodded slowly. He was a little shocked. He knew Mia was friends with a couple of Slytherins, but he hadn't realized they truly cared for her like that. He looked between the three of them and saw the same look on their faces as were on his friend's faces. He could see their protectiveness, and he knew they were all itching to hex him for this. Suddenly he had a new appreciation for Mia's friends.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

January 24th, 1977

They'd all debated who needed to tell Fabian about what had happened. Sirius and Fred were immediately ruled out, because they'd both get too frustrated and angry while trying to talk about it. James and Remus spent a while debating before they'd both been kicked out of the Room to tell him together.

Everyone – the Marauders, Fred, and the Slytherins – had been in the Room for the past two days, keeping watch over Mia as she healed. Sirius had been giving her something to keep her sleeping while he worked on healing what he could, since he'd had to learn how to after years of abuse.

James and Remus were outside of his office door when James hesitated to knock.

"They're close," he sighed. "Mia and Fabian. What do we do if he… doesn't take this well?"

Remus shrugged helplessly. "We wait for him to calm down and offer to take him to her. There's nothing much we can do. Mia would want him with her, Fred told us as much."

James nodded a little and knocked on the door. Fabian opened it a few moments later, looking tired. He raised an eyebrow at them and both boys squirmed a little.

"Can we come in? We… need to talk."

"That doesn't sound good," Fabian muttered quietly, but he opened the door wide and walked back to his desk. He sat down, but the boys stood nervously in front of the desk. "Is everything alright? You two look pale."

"No. Er- I mean no, everything isn't okay." James said nervously, trying to figure out how to say this gently.

"On Saturday, Bellatrix Lestrange tortured Mia with the Cruciatus Curse for at least a half an hour, maybe an hour. She hasn't woken up yet." Remus stated bluntly. Fabian paled considerably and his eyes widened. That small woman, that little and extremely powerful woman was… tortured? And he hadn't been told for days?

"Wh… Where is she?" He managed to choke out. "Is she in the infirmary?"

Remus shook his head, putting a calming hand on James's arm, who was fidgeting with his robes. "She asked us to take her to the Room of Requirement. Sirius, Regulus, Avery, and I have been taking turns healing her."

"And why didn't you tell me that day? I know you knew I was in the village… hell, you could've told my brother! Did Bellatrix get away?"

James winced at the question and shook his head slowly. "Sirius stunned her and put her in a full body bind. Mia… she said we couldn't because she still had a role to play."

"And you listened to her?!" Fabian shouted angrily. He'd become close with Mia, and had treated her like a little sister. He was angry enough with the idea of her being tortured, but he was _furious_ with the thought that the bitch who hurt her had gotten away.

"We had more important things to attend to than Bellatrix," Remus said calmly. "Like making sure she wasn't _brain dead_ from the torture."

"Take me to her," Fabian demanded hotly. "Right now."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The room was completely silent and had been since Fabian had entered. They'd made room for him to sit next to Mia's bed, and he had gently picked up her hand to hold it in his. He was tense as he watched her breathing quietly. She was family, and it made him sick to see her like this. He knew she'd be horrified to know so many people were watching her, but none of them could help it.

"Why'd you wait so long to tell me?" He asked in a devastated voice.

"We…" Sirius sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. "At first it was because we needed to get her stable. She was barely breathing. Then it was because we needed to clean her up. Then we all had our own little break downs. After that… it just slipped our minds that there was someone else that would want to know and could know. None of us have left this room until today. It's been providing us with anything we need as we need it. James commented about how she was skipping classes again, and Fred here tried to leave the room to tell you. That's when we decided."

"How… how bad was it?" He asked before he could stop himself. He wasn't sure he wanted to know, seeing her unconscious in bed like that.

Sirius took a deep breath, but it was Regulus who answered. "From what they've said, it sounds like Mia got the treatment Bella gave Sirius at Christmas."

What he was implying laid heavily in the air: Bella was torturing for the kill. For whatever reason, Mia Potter pissed Bellatrix off enough to try to kill her. They knew Mia and James were in danger themselves for being blood traitors, and they figured that had just fueled the fire.

"Fuck," Fabian muttered angrily.

"Language," they heard Mia whisper weakly. She squeezed his hand a little and attempted a smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. "I'm okay, love."

Sirius backed up nervously as Regulus moved swiftly to her side and took the hand Fabian wasn't holding. "Do you need more pain potion?" her boyfriend asked quietly.

"I'll hurt all of you if you try to make me swallow another potion, Regulus." She said firmly, and her boyfriend laughed gently, biting his cheek. Fabian was quiet, but he could see a few tears in the boy's eyes.

"No more potions for now, then. How are you feeling? Any better?"

"My body has had plenty of time to heal with Sirius shoving calming draughts and sleeping potions down my throat every time I so much as twitch," Mia said bitterly, trying and failing to sit up. She glanced around the room and grimaced again at the amount of people staring at her. "What in the name of Merlin are all of you doing here?"

"Er- Mia, you're aware of your current… state, correct?" James asked gently.

"Yes, of course I am, Jamie."

"Well, we've all been worried. When we brought you back, Sirius sent a Patronus to Regulus, who brought Sni- er, Snape, and Snape brought Avery. We just got Auror Prewett-"

"Call me Fabian,"

"Before you woke up." James finished, ignoring the elder redhead.

"What day is it?" She said with a frown. She tried to sit up again and, with some help from Regulus, managed to stay sitting up.

"Er… Monday, kitten." Sirius said, cringing.

"Monday?! Why didn't you wake me up?! We have classes!" She shrieked.

The room was silent for a few beats before Fred cracked up laughing. "Always the same, Granger. You even went to class after you were petrified. I remember finding you sneaking out of the infirmary."

Mia pouted. "I missed weeks of classes! Of course I wanted to go immediately! I even missed exams that year!"

"We all did, Mione. He cancelled them because of muggleborns dropping like flies-"

"Don't be rude, Frederick." Mia said sternly.

"You were petrified?!" Avery asked in alarm. Fred turned and seemed to realized that not everyone in the room knew her secret and flinched.

"Er, yeah. I, uh, got a spell wrong. It was awful." Mia lied badly. Fabian really was glad she hadn't been put in Slytherin. Avery seemed to know she was lying but didn't push it.

"No matter the case, I can bring you your schoolwork tomorrow." Fabian promised with a soft smile. She squeezed his hand again and returned the smile happily, albeit weakly. "If you're feeling better, that is."

"Oh, I'll be fine. I could probably even go to classes today-"

"NO." Everyone yelled at her. She blinked a few times before sighing.

"You're all over protective. I love you dearly, but you are." She said with a small smile.

"Do you think you could do without me for a few minutes, pet? I've got something I need to take care of, and I'm going to collect a few books from your dorm for you." Fabian gave her a familiar smile and she nodded.

"I think I can manage. These fools probably won't leave me alone, anyway."

Fabian kissed her hand gently before leaving the room, his seething anger barely controlled.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"She could have died!" He screamed again. He'd been in the Headmaster's office for twenty minutes now, fifteen of which had been spent either trading pleasantries or trying to calm down.

"I know, Fabian," Dumbledore said in the same soothing voice he'd been attempting since the younger man had entered the office. "But there's nothing we can do but nurse her back to health, which her friends seem to be doing well, and ensuring her safety from here on out."

"She's extremely headstrong, Sir, and prideful to boot." He tried again for a calm voice. "She hates being taken care of. But you should've seen her… She was just lying there. She let her boyfriend help her sit up because she couldn't do it alone."

"I'm aware of your friendship and unsealed familial bond, Fabian. I know she must mean a great deal to you, but I'm afraid there's just nothing else we can do." Dumbledore said again, sounding sincerely heartbroken over his words.

"Really?! She was attacked by Dolohov in these halls, sir! There's nothing you can do about that?!"

"There was no evidence-"

"Like hell there wasn't! She saved another student from being… attacked by him, and not two weeks later, someone tries to kill her! Doesn't that seem suspicious to you?"

"We also, regretfully, have no proof he was the one to attempt an attack on Miss MacDonald-"

"Mia went through an extremely painful memory to prove it was him! Regulus Black could vouch for it!"

"Even so, the process of gathering the proof-"

"Bloody hell, Professor! She's been in danger at this school her entire life, future or present! Isn't that enough to warrant some sort of bodyguard at the very least?!"

"I'm terribly sorry, Mister Prewett-"

Fabian didn't hear the end of his sentence, because he'd growled darkly and stomped out of the office. Dumbledore's message was clear: he refused to intervene. Fabian tore through the castle, ignoring students as they questioned him or tried to talk to him. He stalked into Gryffindor Tower and accio'd multiple books from the girl's dorms before walking swiftly out, avoiding any questions thrown his way.

It didn't take him long to get back to the Room, but he spent a good fifteen minutes outside, calming his temper.

Dumbledore was a great wizard, but he was a severely flawed man.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Sano," Mia heard Avery say quietly. He was sitting beside her bed now. He'd waited until everyone else was asleep to move there, and Mia couldn't understand why.

"Qui Patitur?"

"Why do you refuse being helped or taken care of?" His voice was gentle, but Mia flinched. She considered the question before responding.

"I take care of other people, not the other way around. I'm supposed to help them."

"You do help us. But sometimes you need help, too." He protested.

"No, love. I don't."

"Yes, you do. You'd be dead without help, Mia." His words were slightly harsh, and she felt herself gasp slightly. "I'm sorry. It's just… I care for you. Not exactly the way the others do. More like… You're what hope is like, and I've never really felt that before."

Mia reached out for his hand instead of responding. She didn't think there was much else to say.

"There's something you're all keeping from me." He stated. Her breath hitched painfully in her chest.

"Yes," She confirmed slowly.

"Fred called you Granger and then Mione."

"Yes, he did," her voice was guarded, and he sighed.

"Granger isn't a magical name, is it?"

Her eyes flashed dangerously as she went on the defense. "No, it isn't, Avery."

"Is that what you're keeping from me? That you're muggleborn?"

Mia thought about lying for a moment, but realized quickly that not everyone knew. "No. I think other than Fred, only Regulus knows."

"That puts you in more danger, Sano." He said obviously.

"I know."

"Do your other secrets put you in more danger?" He sounded nervous, and Mia made a face.

"Yes. He'd kill me Himself if he knew," she replied bitterly. "I know things I should not know, Avery. If… no, when he figures that out, he'd kill me to keep his darkest secrets safe."

They were silent for a bit as she let him process that.

"I'll tell you someday." She promised quietly. "But not today."

"Of course, Sano." He replied softly. "I just wish I knew more so I could help you."

"Avery, love, you know you couldn't keep me safe. I… I had a friend growing up. He used to get into danger all the time. I used to help him out, along with another friend. We saved him from many life or death situations. Everyone would joke about how he's a danger magnet. I'm starting to think maybe it was all of us, not just him." She sighed and shrugged weakly. "I'm not sure anyone can keep me safe, Avery, except for me."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Woo. So another sorta shorter chapter. Whatever. It's getting later here, so I needed to cut it off.**

 **Okay, so Google translate tells me Qui Patitur means "he suffers." I was originally going for something more like Patient, but that literally came out as Patient, and I'd rather not use that!**

 **We're going to have a bit off a time jump soon… Okay, like a month long time jump. Padfootl0ve is getting impatient and, in all honesty, so am I.**

 **I hope you enjoyed, and remember to review!**

 **Edit: thanks to everyone that informed me of a few chapter mess ups! I totally forgot to check it or I'd have been right on it. I'm not sure why it keeps happening, but really, thank you to everyone that keeps telling me and for your extreme patience!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One**

January 25th, 1977

"How long do you think until she can get back to her dorm and classes?" James asked, rubbing his sore arm. Mia was getting tired of people trying to take care of her, and she wasn't afraid to show it.

"A day or two," Sirius sighed. He'd been playing medi witch for days, only taking a break when Regulus or Snape got there. "Her muscles are still twitching badly. She should really get physical therapy for it from Madame Pomfrey. Other than that, and aside from nightmares, she'll be fine."

"She's getting restless. Just punched me. Did you know she could punch so hard? Bloody hurt," James complained lightly. Sirius rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"I just don't underestimate her anymore."

"Yeah, well, remind me not to either." James's smile fell a little. "She's sitting with your brother doing her homework. He says she claims to feel better when he's there. He thinks it's that bond they have; says it's not sealed."

"I know, but they're not sealing the damn thing on my watch," Sirius growled out. Sealing it would bind them together forever, and only cause more pain down the road. James just shrugged.

"Fine with me. Regulus is fifteen. He may love her, but he doesn't need that yet."

"Mm," Sirius agreed. "Give her the pain potion, will you? I've got a few things to do. I'll be back."

James nodded in agreement and Sirius walked out. He stood outside of the Room for a bit with his eyes closed, trying to pull himself together.

It was hard for Sirius to see one of his best friends, a girl he thought of as a sister, like that. It was his cousin that had hurt Mia. It was because he had let her convince him to go in the store alone that she had been caught off guard. It was his fault Mia was hurt and he would never forgive himself for that.

"Sirius?" His head shot up to see Marlene walking to him, looking worried. "Are you okay?"

"What? I- Yeah. Of course, Marls." She frowned at him, obviously not believing the lie.

"You look pale as a ghost. What's wrong?" She pressed, giving him the familiar stubborn look he'd come to dread.

"Nothing, Marls. Honest. Just haven't slept well," he gave her a half lie, hoping she would accept it and go away.

"Funny, considering you and Potter – either one of them – haven't been back to the common room in days." She sighed and gave him a look he couldn't quite place. "Please, Sirius. What's wrong?"

"I-" He cut off when the door to the Room reappeared and James walked out. They could hear Mia yelling at him as he closed the door.

"Merlin, she's gone insane- oh. Marlene."

Sirius groaned inwardly. This just got infinitely harder.

"Sirius Black, you tell me what is going on right now or I swear I will hex your bollocks off!" Marlene warned. Mia had blindfolded the girls on the way to and from the Room for the party, so none of them knew where they'd been.

"I- uh-"

"Marlene, it's family stuff," James covered smartly. "That's all."

Marlene frowned at him for a few minutes. "Why's she so mad at you?"

"I, um… Got in her way while she was exercising some muscles," he said, hinting at Sirius that someone needed to chaperone.

Marlene rolled her eyes. "So Regulus is in there and you caught them kissing?"

James looked away sheepishly but nodded. "She needs a bloody chaperone-"

The door opened again and Regulus narrowly escaped a purple light that came after him. He slammed the door closed with a scowl. "Bloody woman is insane!"

Sirius smirked at his brother. "What's wrong, Reg? Finally got on her nerves?"

"I didn't even do anything! She told me I was holding her wrong and tried to fucking hex me!"

Marlene gasped as her eyes widened. "IS MIA PREGNANT?!" She yelled in horror. The boys looked at each other, confused at how she came to that conclusion.

"No! I am a man of honor! I would never!" Regulus said, offended.

"Well, she's having mood swings, and you said it's family stuff, and Regulus was in there… it's an easy enough conclusion to come to." Marlene explained, an evil glint in her eyes. The door opened again and Mia grabbed Regulus by the shirt before spotting her friend.

"Oh, Marlene, how lovely to see you. Want to come in?" She said in a sweet tone.

"Oh, of course, Mia dear." Marlene replied, the glint growing brighter. Mia dragged her boyfriend back in the room with her friend on her heels. Sirius and James shared a look of exhaustion and dread before also entering again, closing the door behind them.

"What's all this?" The Slytherin girl asked, waving to the hospital bed and potions.

"Oh, I got into a small accident on Saturday. They've been patching me up in here. That's why we haven't been back in days." Mia explained, shoving her boyfriend into a chair and sitting next to him.

"Hm. Are you alright?" The girl obviously knew Mia was keeping something, but decided better than to ask outright.

"Of course. I can leave tomorrow, right?" She glared at Sirius, who ignored her and looked at Marlene.

"Marls, she needs a couple more days of rest before she can leave. She's getting… restless. That's why she threatened my brother's manhood. Probably. She did that yesterday. We only heard the yelling."

"I did not yell, Sirius." She turned to the only friend that hadn't annoyed her yet. "Marlene, would you like some tea?" Marlene nodded as she tried to stifle her laugh.

"Jamie?"

"Yes, Mia?" He sounded exhausted, but slightly amused.

"Please get her some tea."

"Yes, Mia." He rolled his eyes and simply asked the room for tea.

"Wow, you should teach Lily that. You've got him more whipped than she does." Marlene commented, thoroughly amused.

"I don't have him whipped." Mia denied. "He's just being a sweet brother." In all honesty, she knew he would do anything for her. Since she'd done the bonding ritual with Sirius, the three of them had gotten closer. James especially treated her like the world. Sirius, however, stood his ground more.

"So, how come you came here instead of the infirmary?" Marlene asked, allowing herself some curiosity.

"Madame Pomfrey wouldn't have been able to help without asking questions, and Sirius knew just how to heal me, anyway. I'm much more comfortable here, so I figured it was best." Mia answered easily.

"She usually heals with very few questions, doesn't she?"

"Yes, but it's those few questions that I wouldn't be able to answer." Mia said with a soft sigh.

"Hmm."

James came back with the tea for Marlene and a potion – muscle relaxer – for Mia. Marlene sipped her tea slowly, watching the boys circle Mia in a not so surprising defensive stance. Marlene had noticed a lot of the people close to Mia often did that, and had caught herself joining in as well a few times.

"What is it about you, Mia, that you're always the center?" She asked gently. She caught the slight flinch at the question and sighed softly. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Actually, it just amazes me. You've been here for months and brought so many people together, while there have been rivalries for years. How do you do it?"

"I… I don't know," Mia whispered. She'd deflated a little at the words. "I'm sorry… I just…" But she couldn't bring herself to find a lie or try to explain. She couldn't tell her the truth, either. She couldn't tell anyone else.

Marlene looked at the boys for permission and, when they gave it, moved next to the girl. "It's nothing to be sorry for, Mia. I'm not… It's just that you changed everything here, didn't you? The boys have stopped bullying Snape, and James and Lily got together. Sirius is different," when he started to deny it, she put up a hand to silence him. "And he's friends with his brother again, no matter if it's a secret. Not to mention all of the little things. And it's just that everyone seems to hover around you. It's amazing." She finished quietly. Mia gave her a small smile but stayed silent, so Marlene hugged her. It was short, and Marlene squeezed her gently in the end, but even so, Mia let out a small squeak of pain.

"Mia? Oh, I'm so sorry- " Marlene's apology was cut off by Regulus gently pulling the Slytherin girl away to give his girlfriend another potion. Once she swallowed it, she gave her friend a sad smile.

"Please, don't be sorry. I'm fine. Just a little sore."

"What happened?" Marlene breathed. The boys shared a look, but they let Mia answer upon seeing the determination on her face.

"Bellatrix Lestrange," was all she said, but it was obvious Marlene understood, as she looked horrified.

"She tortured one of my cousins when they married a muggle," she explained. "Are… are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Mia said, knowing Marlene wasn't one to pity people. "My warden here," she waved to Sirius, "says I can go back to classes soon."

"Want me to stay, too? You seem to be getting annoyed with these tossers," Marlene winked.

"Hey!"

"Rude."

"No, it's okay. I'd rather you stay with the girls and keep them from asking where we are, if you will." Mia said, ignoring her boys. Marlene gave her a nod and a mock salute.

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'll walk you out," Sirius offered, trying to end the impromptu visit. "I've still got some things to do."

The two left the room in silence, but Marlene rounded on him when the door closed. "You stop blaming yourself right now, or I will hex you."

"Wow, that's so supportive, Marls," Sirius mocked, rolling his eyes. "I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"You might be able to lie to everyone else, but I know your tells, Black." Marlene said with a frown. "She may be your cousin, but that doesn't mean it's your fault."

Sirius sighed and shook his head. "I was supposed to protect Mia. I didn't."

"So? I was supposed to protect Mary, and Mia barely managed to save her for me." Marlene said, not a hint of guilt in her voice.

"Maybe, Marls, but Mary never actually got attacked. Mia was. And that wasn't even the first time." He rubbed his face and sighed again. "She's had a lot in her life. She doesn't need any more shit than necessary."

"Yeah, but there's a war. No one is going to escape it, even if they don't fight directly. Look at me, for example. I'm a pureblood Slytherin that sided with the Light. Slytherin hates me and I spent all my time in Gryffindor Tower."

"That's just stupid House rivalries, Marlene." Sirius snapped shortly.

"No, it isn't. I'm a blood traitor, Sirius. That makes it part of the war."

"I get what you're trying to say, but I don't think you get it-"

"Then try to make me get it. What's so bad that everyone circles her all the time? Have you seen her fight? She is more than capable of protecting herself-"

"Then why did my deranged cousin attack her?!" Sirius shouted hotly.

"Because your deranged cousin probably caught her off guard or in some sort of a disadvantage! I've no doubt that, in a fair wizard's duel, Mia could kill her without breaking a sweat." She grabbed Sirius's hand gently. "This is not your fault, Black. You've no reason to pretend it is. Carrying guilt will do nothing to protect her – even though she doesn't need it – or to get revenge… something I don't think you should try for until after Hogwarts, by the way."

"Don't worry," Sirius said darkly. "I don't exactly visit the family often."

"Just go easier on yourself. Promise me." She said, offering him a small smile.

"Yeah, okay." He muttered. She grinned now, and pecked his cheek.

"Good. Now go do whatever gloomy ass shit you need to do. And take good care of our Mia." She released his hand and walked off, leaving him with a burning cheek and extremely confused thoughts.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

January 28th, 1977

"I've finished them!" Mia grinned brightly. "I thought they were going to take months, but Gideon was right! I just had to get used to it is all."

Fred's gentle smile grew into one of the happiest grins she'd ever seen. "We can go home?!"

Mia nodded, her eyes filling with happy tears. "And they'll be as safe as they can be."

Before Fred could respond, Sirius came running into the Room. Mia had been cleared by Medi Witch Black days ago, but she spent her free time there whenever she could.

Sirius looked alarmed, and the joy drained from Mia's face, leaving the ghost of a smile. "Sirius? What's wrong, love?"

"Mum was here, kitten." Mia's eyes widened as she guessed why.

"I… I've got to… Sirius, go get Jamie and Lily along with Remus, Marlene, Mary, Alice, Frank, Fabian, and get him to floo Gideon to the castle, and… bring Peter."

"Mia…"

"We're going home... I'm so sorry." She hated doing it this way. She didn't want to just leave without the proper goodbyes, but she didn't have much of a choice.

Sirius stared for a horrible moment before hugging her tightly. "I love you, Mia Mine."

"I love you, too, Star Shine. Now go on, get them. I need to get a few Slytherins, too."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Once everyone had been gathered in the Room, Mia and Fred in front of all of their friends… and Peter. She was holding back tears that she knew would break her. She stared at her friends – her family – for what seemed like forever before Fred nudged her gently.

"Right. So, not all of you know mine and Fred's secret, but a lot of you know there is one." She saw everyone nod, and Avery was eyeing her warily. "Well, I can't tell you. But I need you to know that it's something that will get us killed… and maybe you for knowing us.

"So this is a goodbye… party." She knew her friends wouldn't let her do what she needed to if they knew what was going to happen. She was going to talk to them all separately to get it done. Fred would be helping – he was taking care of Fabian, Gideon, Mary, and Marlene.

"Why do you have to go?" Mary asked quietly.

"Because it's no longer safe for us here." Mia said, thinking that it wasn't a total lie.

"Where will you go, though?" It was Peter who asked, and he had a worried look. Mia had avoided him completely the entire time she was there, and she was glad. She didn't want to have become friends with him and have to grieve him being a traitor, or just hate him and be in the Marauder's burn book.

"Home. To… fix things there." She said, again not lying completely. "So, just enjoy the party. We'll both make sure to say a goodbye to each of you before we leave."

And so the party started. Mia took Alice to a back room first, as she knew Alice and Frank would take the longest aside the Marauders and Fabian.

In total, Mia spent nearly an hour with the couple, putting their memories safely behind a surprisingly thick Occlumency wall and leaving instructions to put more there every night. She left that memory of herself to them, knowing they wouldn't do it if she took it.

She hugged them both before she put the Notice Me Not spells on their memories of her. She refused to take them away completely.

Next was Peter. She wanted to get him out of the way so she could have a few good goodbyes. Luckily, he didn't have much that she needed to hide. She also didn't bother putting a trigger word for those memories, for she never wanted him to remember her.

After Peter, she simply said a teary goodbye to Gideon and Fabian. The twins wrapped her in a hug and held her as she let out a few tears. They kissed her on the top of her head and promised to see her again before heading off to Fred.

Next she grabbed Lily. She hugged the girl for a few minutes before backing up and explaining what she was going to do. Lily refused until Mia promised that, when it was safe, she would use the trigger word to bring them back together. She also reminded Lily of the danger they'd both be in if they didn't do this. Mia felt sick as she watched Lily walk out of the room with absolutely no clue who she was.

After Lily, Mia started on the remaining Marauders. She brought Remus in first, and he held her while she pulled herself together. She reminded him that she loved him and that they'd see each other again. She blocked his memories, too, and sent him back to Gryffindor Tower like she'd done with the others she'd taken care of.

James was after Remus. They sat together in silence for ten minutes before he told her he would always miss her and love her. She felt sick at those words, knowing she'd never see her brother again. She held him tight and repeated a whispered "I love you, Jamie." Minutes later, she blocked his memories as well and sent him back to Lily.

And finally, she had Sirius. They stared at each other before, to Mia's surprise, Sirius cried silently and hugged her. He told her that he never thought he'd have a sister and that he was more than he'd deserved. He then told her that if she couldn't bring him back, it was okay because he'd always be with her, even if she didn't know it. She kissed his cheek gently and whispered that she loved him and would die before she failed to bring him back, and then, while sobbing, blocked his memories of her.

The Slytherins were last. She and Fred met them in the bigger part of the Room, and Mia sighed.

"Avery, you don't know my secret."

"No, I don't."

"Would you be able to block Voldemort from seeing me in your mind?" She asked.

"Obviously. I have so far." He responded, rolling his eyes.

"Well, I guess you're free to go." She said. She watched as he stepped forward nervously and pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you, Sano."

"You must not speak of Fred or I to anyone. It'll be like we never existed. And whatever you do, do not use that name." She warned. She had decided upon Sano as the trigger word for everyone. He nodded a bit before leaving the room, curiously stiff.

"Sev, you're next." She led him to the smaller room where she'd taken everyone's memories. "I've got to put a Notice Me Not spell on your memories."

"Can't you just let me go, like Avery?" He said, frowning when she shook her head slowly.

"I know you in the future, love. You can't know who I really am… er, will be." She'd never mentioned the future him, so he was surprised, but he didn't fight. He knew this was hard enough for her.

So she took his memories, too. She hated it, but she had to. She set the trigger word and sent him back to the dungeons. Regulus walked slowly into the room after he left.

"Fred said to take our time," her boyfriend informed her.

"We'll see each other again… if you remember to use the ring I gave you." She said. She'd given everyone their respective rings when she had blocked their memories.

"I promise I will, Little Lion." He kissed her gently, but she pulled away and shook her head.

"No. Not until I see you in the future."

"I love you, Mia." He said, shoving away the rejection.

"I love you, Regulus Black." And then she blocked his memories and sent him away. She took a few minutes to use her own Occlumency to block away the pain as best as she could. It didn't take her long, and she soon found Fred.

"Come on. We need to see Dumbledore before Dorea takes us home." Dorea had made Dumbledore agree to let Mia and Fred come home for a bit to heal. She insisted Fred come as well to help Mia feel more comfortable, something that Mia had a feeling was a lie.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Ooookay. So. Stuff is happening. I know I've left a few things unanswered, so just pm me or leave a review if you're confused.**

 **Thank padfootl0ve for them going home now. I've been feeling kinda antsy and wanted them home, and then she asked me a completely irrelevant question and triggered an idea… it's a sister thing. She has credit for a ton of stuff normal people wouldn't give her credit for.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and remember to review!**


	22. Chapter 22

**THEY'RE GOING HOME! I AM SO EXCITED OH MY GOODIE GOODNESS.**

 **So this is going to go a little fast, and let me explain something really quick.**

 **In this version, Death Eaters are called for "hunts" all the time. Even those at Hogwarts. It's pretty simple to get there. They just sneak out of Hogwarts (really, there are so many passages) and then portkey or apparate from Hogsmeade. So, just keep that in mind.**

 **Chapter Twenty Two**

January 28th, 1977

"Professor, it's time for us to go." Mia informed Dumbledore. She saw him visibly deflate just a little, but he nodded.

"I see. Well, I'm glad to have known you both." He said with a gentle and honest smile. Mia smiled back as brightly as she could, given the circumstances.

"I need to ask a favor…"

"What is it, Miss Potter?"

"Well, the teachers can't remember Fred and I, you see. I was wondering if maybe… you could Obliviate them?" Dumbledore looked taken aback by this request, but he thought about it and nodded slowly.

"I think that could be arranged. I see you're all packed," he nodded to their trunks and Fred shrugged.

"We didn't want to leave it where anyone could find it. Mia took care of our friends memories… er, in a safe way." He added with a sheepish grin. He felt bad for Hermione, but he was ecstatic over being able to see his twin soon.

They said their goodbyes to Dumbledore – Mia had hugged him and barely refrained from crying again – and floo'd to Potter Manor. Dorea was waiting for them with medical supplies and her eyes widened when she saw a nearly completely healed Mia.

"Now how on earth did you get like that?" She demanded softly.

"Sirius," Mia said sadly. "He healed me up and Jamie played house elf for me…" she trailed off as tears welled in her eyes. "They… they don't… remember…"

"They don't remember us anymore," Fred stated. The only thing any of their friends would remember is the rings and how and when to use them, along with a feeling that it was the most important thing ever. Mia had made sure they'd use it when they needed.

Dorea nodded in understanding and sighed. "So you two will be leaving, then?"

Mia nodded as she collected herself. "Tonight. We were wondering if you could take us to Diagon Alley to collect some supplies? I've run out of most of it from my time here," she explained. Dorea agreed quickly.

"Now, Charlus and I refuse to let you change our memories. You're already in our wills, anyways, so don't bother." Dorea said firmly when Mia started to suggest it. Mia recognized that tone immediately and gave in; she wouldn't have won and would've wound up feeling guilty in the end.

It took them an hour before they set off to Diagon Alley. When they got there, Mia headed straight for the Apothocary. She bought anything she needed, along with a few things she didn't need. They then went and bought a new tent that was like the one she had been in for the World Cup, but bigger and better equipped.

When all of the shopping was done, they went for ice cream. Halfway through their treat, they heard a loud scream from down the alley. By the time they'd gotten to where they heard the scream, Death Eaters had swooped in and were attacking anybody and anything. Dorea jumped in the fight, screaming for her children to go back to the Manor. After sharing a look, Fred and Mia ignored her and jumped into the fray, Mia pointing at the ring on her finger to tell Fred to use it if he needed to.

Mia couldn't remember much of the fight when it was over. It was a lot of curses and shields and running. She remembered shoving an elderly wizard away when someone had sent a Sectumsempra that way. The thing she remembered most was hearing someone screaming the Killing Curse and jumping to shove a kid away. She screamed "Tempus" but not before someone else – a Death Eater – had grabbed her arm to pull her to them. She couldn't do anything, though, as she was twisting painfully through time and space and pulling him along with her.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"What the fuck?" A pained voice growled.

"What happened?" A confused voice this time.

"Merlin… get off of me!" A rather annoyed voice, matching the last one.

"Fabian!" One redhead yelled, spotting a Death Eater holding onto a teenage girl. He pointed his wand at the hooded man, but was interrupted before he could curse him.

"GIDEON!" The girl yelled, pushing the Death Eater off of her and hugging the twin. He looked down at her, thoroughly confused.

"Uh, girl?"

"Oh, right," she looked around and detatched herself from him when she spotted Regulus, barely conscious on the ground. She ran to him and picked him up. He obviously wanted to tell her not to, but she was whispering healing spells and he felt immediately better and reluctantly grateful.

"Who… are you?"

"Huh? Reg, it's… oh, right." She looked between the three extremely confused men and sighed. "Sano!" She said loudly. They all stood extremely still for a moment before Regulus looked up at her in wonder.

"Mia?"

"Hermione, here. But Mia works too." She corrected him with a sigh. "I know the cave messed you up, love, but I need to take care of…" she trailed off, swearing when she looked around and didn't see Fred. "He's left to find George. I guess that's fair. You lot are my mess to clean up," she said, giving him a wink.

"Pet," Fabian said slowly, his wand raised now. "Death Eater."

"Oh, right." She said like she'd forgotten. She stood and walked over, removing the Death Eater's mask and gasping quietly when she saw Avery. "What… how did you…"

"I grabbed onto your arm, Sano. You were about to be killed." He growled out, holding his waist.

"Oh," she said in understanding. "The Killing Curse I saved that kid from."

"Yes."

"It's okay, Fab, Gid. Just Avery." The twins dropped their wands and looked around.

"Mia, are we in Hogsmeade?"

"Hmm? Yeah."

"Right, well-"

"Hermione?" Mia swore under her breath as she looked up. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be at the funeral?"

"Uh, yeah, Remus. I mean no." She cast a quick disillusionment charm on the four boys as she turned to Remus. "I wanted some air, you see."

"Well, I thought that's why you went for a walk with Fred," he said, noticing her lie. "But he's back with… Is your hair longer? Did… did you call me Remus?"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake." She groaned. She'd wanted to hold off on this. "Why are you always so observant? This is why we told you last time, too."

"What are you-"

"Sano." She said with a resigned sigh. Just like the others, it had taken him a minute, but soon his eyes lit up with recognition.

"Mia," he breathed. She felt a reluctant grin slide on her face.

"Hey, Remus."

He grinned brightly and wrapped the little witch up in a hug. "Oh, you… Merlin, I just… forgot you." He said with a laugh.

"That was sort of the plan, love," she laughed back, waving her hand to cancel the spell on the boys. "Can you help me get them into the Room without anyone seeing? Reg needs to be healed, the twins and I need to have a chat, and Avery is wounded as well."

Remus agreed with an ecstatic smile and they made it to the Room of Requirement quickly, easily avoiding any students, teachers, or anyone just mourning. They asked the Room for a hospital like room and a comfortable meeting room.

Mia healed Regulus as well as she could, but she had to slip him a calming draught and something to sleep, so she left him to talk to the twins while Remus healed Avery, refusing to tell him what was going on.

"Hey." She said, sitting between the redheads. They both tossed an arm around her and smiled brightly.

"Hey yourself, pet." Fabian laughed.

"Yeah. And thanks for saving us." Gideon added.

"Saving- what? I didn't-"

"Sure you did. You gave us the rings." Gideon said, cutting her off.

"Anyway," she said, rolling her eyes. "I need to ask you both a favor that you might not love."

They both eyed her but nodded silently. "I need you to not contact Molly or her kids – except for Fred, of course, or probably George, since he'll know by now – until I've had a chance to brief the Order on what's happened. I'll need to bring Avery…" she sighed, knowing she hadn't actually told the twins this part. "He's got the paw print that Dumbledore told everyone about, and so does… so does Severus."

"The paw print…"

"That Dumbledore said…"

"Makes a Death Eater our friends?"

"Yes. Those prints are mine. There are three right now, four once I save Draco." Mia said softly.

"So you want us to sit around doing nothing while our big sister thinks we're dead-"

"She has for years-"

"Until you can brief the damn Order?"

"Look, these are dark times. They're not likely to believe easily. And… I'm going to get Sirius before I tell them so he can explain, too."

The twins looked at each other, obviously having a conversation.

"Fine, but be quick." Fabian said, squeezing her softly. She smiled at him and he just gave a sigh. "I've missed you, pet."

"Well, I just saw you hours ago," she laughed. "Or I'd say the same."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"You're in the future." Mia said.

"I know." Avery shrugged. He'd figured it out pretty quickly.

"You… oh, whatever. It makes sense, though. I'd heard your name but never knew much about you. You weren't one of the ones that's attacked us before, so I wasn't sure where you'd gone." She smiled softly. "Now I understand."

"This makes so much sense." He commented quietly. The more he thought about it, the more he understood.

"Yes, it does." She kissed his forehead as she stood. "I need to talk to Remus quickly, and then he'll catch all of you up on what's going on while I… take care of some things."

He nodded and she set off, finding Remus sitting alone with a photobook with pictures of her and Fred with the Marauders and their friends.

"Remus." She said gently.

"I understand why you did it," he said quietly, not looking at her. "But the wolf missed you." He shrugged when she looked surprised. "You're pack."

She hugged him tightly, ignoring the pain that wracked through her when he squeezed tightly. "I'm here, love." She said. It was the only comforting thing she thought could help him, and it did. He felt a little more whole than he had in a while.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Harry," she breathed, watching her best friend. He was alone in his dorm, lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling.

"Hermione," Mia froze slightly at the name, reminding herself where she was. "You disappeared after the funeral."

"I needed to clear my head… Harry, we need to go to the ministry." She said quietly, not quite able to look at him and see Jamie and Lily.

"Wh.. why?"

"Please, Harry. Don't you trust me?" She asked, channeling Dorea.

"I… of course. Let me find Ron-"

"No." At his shocked and confused look, Mia sighed. "Just us this time. Please trust me."

And so, Mia and Harry Potter set off for the ministry alone, not bothering to tell anyone where they were going.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Hermione?"

She didn't respond, just continued to stare at the Arch blankly.

"Hermione?"

She felt tears welling in her eyes as she tried to push down the panic attack clawing at her heart.

"Hermione!"

Mia's head shot up as she realized he was talking to her. "Oh, right." She pulled her sleeve up to reveal the black line around her wrist, which was glowing an extremely painful gold.

"What is that?!"

She didn't respond, just grabbed her knife and cut her palm, dropping the blood on the base of the arch. She heard Harry yell something at her, but she ignored him and began the ritual.

"Sirius of the House of Black, you have sworn to heed my call from the Veil of Death. I am here to demand to return whole to this world, and that you finish living the life you were meant to live. Heed my call, Blood Brother."

It was simple enough. She refused to ask for his service as some people used the ritual for, but rather demanded he live the life he was supposed to, hoping it would protect him in the war.

It took a few silent moments before she saw Sirius floating out of the Veil, wrapped in a golden light that matched her wrist. She put up a shield to avoid Harry rushing him as he was set on the ground. When Harry broke through the shield, she stunned him and lowered him to the ground as she healed Sirius.

When she finished healing the last bruise, Sirius coughed a bit and woke up, good as new.

"Bloody hell… Hermione?" he asked, obviously confused as he looked around. She gave him a soft and loving smile.

"No, Sirius. Not quite."

"What do you-" But Mia cut him off as she woke Harry and the boy threw himself at his godfather. She refused to let Harry find out like this, when they could still be arrested for breaking into the ministry and, in Mia's case, using illegal dark magic.

The men hugged for a bit and reunited, Harry explaining that Sirius had been killed and that it had been a year. He told the older man how Dumbledore had died and that Snape did it, and Mia interrupted when Harry started ranting about her friend.

"Sirius, do you have your ring? We need to get to Hogsmeade and back to the school."

"My ring… Hermione, how do you-"

"Sirius, do you have it or not?" She said impatiently.

"I- yes, I've got it." He stared at her with a frown that she ignored. The boys were still hugging, so she simply put her hand on Sirius's shoulder.

"Go on, then."

So Sirius used his ring to take them all to the village, where Mia swiftly brought the boys to the Room. She put up a hand when Remus spotted his best friend. "Remus, love, in a minute. We need to-"

"Sano, is that James Potter?"

"Sano…" Sirius repeated, blinking at Mia. "Mia?"

"Fuck, Avery!" Mia swore.

"I'd rather you not," Regulus commented with a cheeky smile.

"Regulus…" Sirius said. He looked at Harry before turning back to Mia. "Am I dead?"

"No, love, you're perfectly alive." She grabbed his wrist and showed her his. "Remember? I made sure of it."

"Hermione, what's going on?" Harry asked in a hard voice, completely confused.

"Who is Hermione?" Avery asked with a frown. Mia glared at Remus.

"Didn't I tell you to tell him everything?!"

"Oops," Remus said, finding it hard to be afraid of her. "Your real name slipped my mind. A lot has happened in twenty years, Mia."

Sirius was still staring between Mia and his brother. He was obviously overwhelmed, but he picked Mia up in a giant hug as a few tears fell down his cheeks. "Mia Mine, you're evil." He stated. "Making us forget."

"Shut up, Star Shine, I had to." She retorted, hugging him back gently. "But… Sirius, you're hurting me."

Sirius let her go immediately, thinking hard before cursing himself. "It's only been a few days since…"

"Hermione!" Harry yelled, getting her attention. "What the hell is going on?!"

"Don't yell at her," Regulus growled, ever the protective boyfriend.

"Who the hell are you?!" He yelled at Regulus. His emotions had already been running high lately, but this just made everything worse.

"Harry! Don't yell at him!" Mia scolded. The twins were in the corner, watching it like a tennis match.

"Why not?! Who is he?!" Harry questioned angrily. Before Mia could answer, Regulus stood up painfully and walked to them, leaning on Mia when he got there.

"Regulus Black, Mia's boyfriend." He said proudly.

"Well that's great, but who the hell is Mia?" Harry asked, obviously trying to control his anger.

"I am," Mia said quietly. "I'm Mia Potter."

"You're… what? Hermione, that makes no sense."

"Yes, it does. And if Fred were here, he'd tell you. He and I were sent back to… your parent's time at Hogwarts. We were there for about five and a half months before we managed to get back, saving some people at the same time." She waved to Regulus. "Like he said, he's my boyfriend." She waved to the twins then, rolling her eyes at the amused looks on their faces. "And Fabian and Gideon Prewett – they're like older brothers, like Charlie and Bill but a little closer. We wouldn't be back if they hadn't helped me."

Sirius wrapped an arm around her shoulder and smiled at his godson. "Your grandparents bound Mia and Fred to the House of Potter, same as me. She's my sister… though, she was before, because we did our own bonding ritual. She was your dad's sister, too. Had him wrapped around her bloody finger." He laughed gently, smiling at the memories.

"So… does that make Mia and Fred my aunt and uncle?" Harry asked with a defeated sigh.

"Sort of," Remus said. "But they're not siblings exactly. Fred wasn't fully bonded as he had the Weasley's, too, and wanted to stay there as well. Mia just bound herself completely."

Mia wrinkled her nose and poked Harry. "Don't ever call me your aunt. I'll hex you."

"So… wait, who are you?" Harry asked, pointing at Avery.

"I'm one of Mia's… er…"

"Qui Patitur." Mia said. "He's simply mine, along with… oh fuck," Mia swore. She had no clue when she'd be able to get to Severus.

"Did you just… curse?" Harry asked, eyes wide. Mia laughed gently, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, I did. I just remembered something I needed to do later."

"Pet, would you like me to write a letter to the Order and set up a meeting?" Fabian asked.

"Signed as you," Gideon added before Mia could remind them they weren't allowed to go. She nodded a bit and smiled.

"Thanks guys."

"So…" Harry sighed and sat down. The rest followed them, though Mia sat in Regulus's lap with a content sigh. He nuzzled her neck a bit as if he never wanted to let go. Harry frowned. "Oi, get away from my… aunt? Sister?"

"Go with sister. And you'll get used to it. Jamie and Sirius did."

"I didn't get used to it, Kitten." Sirius corrected. "I pretended I couldn't see it. Hexing my brother isn't as fun as it seems."

Harry scrunched his nose but changed the subject. "You were friends with... with the Marauders and… my parents?"

"Not all of them," Mia sighed. "Not Peter. I avoided him like the plague. But yes. Jamie and Sirius were my brothers, and Remus was my best friend." Remus grinned happily when Harry glanced at him and nodded. "Lily was… she was the kindest person. She made me feel welcome and helped me realize that not all girls are horrible. I had a lot of friends that were girls there. Mary, Marlene, Al- oh my god, Alice!" She nearly screamed the girl's name.

"It's okay, Mia Mine. There's nothing you could-"

"No, but I already did! Her and Frank both." Mia said sharply. Remus leaned forward and pulled her to lie down in his lap as he patted her hair to calm her down. She relaxed instantly at the familiar touch and took a deep breath.

"What are you talking about, love?"

"When I… when I blocked the memories, I used Occlumency to place a heavy block in their minds and left a memory of me reminding them to place their memories every day behind it. Even if they forgot, they'd at least have memories of life up until then. We just have to remove the block!"

"You mean… are you talking about Neville's parents?" Harry asked, and Mia nodded with a smile as Remus continued to stroke her hair.

"How about we get them after the war so they'll be safe?" Sirius suggested gently. Mia seemed to deflate a little, but she nodded as well.

"Reg?" Mia said quietly.

"Yes, Little Lion?"

"Why aren't you in bed like I told you to be?" Mia asked sternly.

"I… Uh, Not sure, Mia love." He said lamely.

"Harry, dear, do you know what's happened to my dear boyfriend here?" Mia asked, and Sirius and Remus held in smiles at Mia's evil side. Harry shook his head, frowning a little. "He just went through the cave and drank the potion Dumbledore drank."

"What?! Shouldn't you be resting?!" Harry asked, eyes wide. Regulus stared back at him with equally wide eyes.

"You know of the cave?"

"I… yes. I went with Dumbledore to get the locket, but I found a fake… wait…" he trailed off, putting the dots together. "You're R.A.B."

Regulus nodded slowly. "Regulus Arcturus Black."

"Where's the real locket, Reg?" Mia asked gently.

"I left it with Kreacher. I told him to destroy it."

"He wouldn't have been able to, love. He wouldn't have known how." Mia sighed and sat up, kissing his cheek. She tried to pull away, but he grabbed her and kissed her lips, telling her exactly how much he missed her.

"Oi, stop mauling her, Reg," Sirius said with a frown. "It's just gross." Harry nodded his agreement while the twins laughed in the background, but they nodded as well. Mia looked at Avery who just shrugged.

"Why should I care?" He asked, causing Mia to smile.

"Exactly."

"You two did that way too much to care." Avery added with a smirk.

"Shut up," Mia grumbled. She turned to Harry and sighed. "I'm calling for-"

"You already did!" Gideon called.

"Okay, I apparently already have called for an Order meeting for tomorrow-"

"Actually for tonight. Sorry, pet, but we're not good at waiting." Fabian winked as he interrupted.

"Fine," Mia said with a growl. "I called for a meeting _tonight_. We're going to bring Remus to explain, but you need to sit with everyone else. Sirius will be waiting in another room for when I call him in. Fab and Gid will wait there too. Reg as well. Oh, that reminds me, I need to do the runes on you guys as well."

"What runes?" Harry asked.

Mia grinned and waved her wand, causing Regulus's shirt to disappear. Her grin grew at the sight, but she pointed at the paw print on his chest. "That's sort of a myth in the Order, and it's mine. There are currently only three Death Eaters with it…" she waved her wand at Avery, and his shirt disappeared as well. "Reg, Avery, and Severus." She held up a hand when Harry began to yell about Snape. "Harry, I'll be talking to him, but he's loyal to the Light. If he killed Dumbledore, he'd agreed upon it with him before it happened. Trust me."

Harry sighed and backed down, but frowned as Mia eyed Regulus. "Will you please give him his shirt back?!" Mia giggled and smirked a bit, but draped a blanket over her boyfriend.

"Fab?"

"Yes, pet?" The twin replied, pausing his conversation with his brother.

"What time is the meeting?"

"Oh, it's for five at Grimmauld Place."

Mia's eyes widened as she picked herself up off of the couch, kicking Regulus in the face on accident and swearing in the process. "It's nearly five!" She said in a screech.

"Oops," the twins said with a shrug.

Mia sighed and looked at all of her friends. "We need to go. Harry, Remus, help me disillusion them?"

About fifteen minutes later, Mia, Harry, and Remus walked through the floo to Grimmauld Place with their invisible friends. They walked into the dining room together, leaving Sirius, Regulus, Avery, and the twins through the door in the kitchen.

Mia looked over the room and sighed at the familiar sight. Fred had obviously found George and both winked at her when she looked over. Ginny was next to the twins with Ron on her other side. Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Weasley were at behind their children as they spoke in hushed whispers. Mad Eye Moody was at one end of the table, frowning darkly at Mia. Kingsley was next to him rolling his eyes at his paranoid friend. Tonks was by Kingsley, Andromeda next to her.

They all looked up when the three stepped into the room. Harry moved next to the twins and sat down, while Mia and Remus stood in front of the Order. Remus put a supportive hand on Mia's back and gave her a smile.

"Hey. So… er," Mia started lamely. She felt sick with nerves, but she kept going. "You all know me as Hermione Granger."

Ginny frowned at her best friend. "What else would we know you as?"

"Well… you wouldn't, but your parents might've heard of me from your uncles," she explained. Molly stiffened at the mention of her brothers, but was silent so far. "My name is Mia Potter, and I am James Potter and Sirius Black's sister."

The Order exploded at this point. Molly did, in fact, recognize the name. Kingsley recognized her vaguely from a ball he'd gone to, but Moody was glaring at her, waiting for her to continue.

"Shut it!" He yelled, causing everyone to fall silent.

"Right… er, thanks. Anyway, um… I was sent to the past with Fred,"

"FREDERICK WEASLEY!" Molly yelled. "DID YOU RUN OFF TO THE PAST?!"

"Yes, Mum," Fred grinned, probably just enjoying the familiar sound. Mia knew the twins would be giggling on the other side of the door.

"Molly, let me explain," Mia said sharply. Molly gave her a long look but nodded. "Anyway, Dumbledore's wand sent us back when we both touched it – we'd found it in the forest. So we landed in 1976, and James and Sirius found us.

"We went to Dumbledore, and he asked the Potters to take us in as their wards, and they agreed. We got close to James, Sirius, and Remus. I did a… ritual that I used to bring Sirius back when we came back." She sighed and shrugged under Tonks's raised eyebrows. "It wasn't the most… legal of rituals, but I didn't and still don't care. We're blood siblings now, and I was with Jamie as well."

"Wait- hold on a damn minute. Did you say you brought Sirius back?!" Moody yelled, and Sirius strode through the door, grinning. He wrapped an arm around Mia, and she rolled her eyes.

"That she did," he announced. "Bloody brilliant witch, this one."

Moody immediately had his wand trained on Sirius, and Kingsley followed suit quickly after. Mia frowned at them, and Remus growled at part of his pack being threatened. "Who's to say it's actually him?"

"You could at least wait until I've finished my story and shown you everybody to needlessly threaten us, Mad Eye," Mia scolded, impatient. She decided to ignore the wands. "Anyway, we didn't change much. I found a way to save some people," she smiled sheepishly. "I kinda stole a time turner."

"I remember some Unspeakables demanding we tighten security because one had gone missing," Kingsley said, raising an eyebrow. Fred gave him a cheeky grin.

"That's us. She got us in and out pretty quick," Fred informed with a wink.

"Anyway, Fab and Gid helped me with a spell. It took bloody forever," Ginny grinned brightly, hearing her best friend swear, "but we got it done. I made a ring for both of the twins to bring them here when they were supposed to die." She gave Molly a gentle smile. "Boys?"

And then the twins burst into the room, bright smiles on their faces.

"Hey, little sis,"

"Been a while?"

"Cause we just saw you last week."

Molly threw herself at the boys and they circled her in a hug as she cried, asking them if they were real and hitting them for 'dying.'

"Er- yeah. So, they used it when they were cornered and brought themselves to Hogsmeade. Appeared just a few hours ago. Where was I?" She asked, shaking her head.

"Uh, the rings." Fred offered, wondering if she was going to mention the issue with Bellatrix.

"Right. So, we gave one to Regulus, too. He, er…"

"He's her boyfriend," Remus said, rolling his eyes at his best friend. She ignored the angry look on Ron's face and nodded.

"Regulus Black got a ring-"

"Hang on, girlie," Moody interrupted. "Black was a Death Eater."

"I'm getting to that," Mia snapped. "He was a Death Eater, yes, but he was on the side of the Light. Do you want proof?"

Moody nodded harshly, and Mia called her boyfriend in, taking his hand. "Reg?"

"Yes, Little Lion?"

"They want proof you're on the Light side." Mia informed him, like he didn't already know. He raised his eyebrow with an amused smile and nodded.

"Go ahead, love."

So Mia waved her wand again, and his shirt disappeared. Molly had calmed by now and was about to scold Mia when the twins covered her mouth with their hands and Mia pointed to the tattoo looking paw print. There were multiple gasps around the room as the adults recognized the sign.

"I thought that was some sort of myth!" Andromeda said, moving closer to her cousins.

"Nope. It's my sign. I put it on three Death Eaters, and plan on adding a few others once I can reach them." Mia informed them with a smile as Regulus wrapped a possessive arm around her at Ron's jealous look.

"So… so he is good." Moody said.

"Yes, very good. Avery," she called his name, and he, too, came from the kitchen. He completed the defensive circle around the girl, standing in front of her. This did not go unnoticed by any of the adults. "also has the mark, if you'd like to see?"

Moody nodded and Avery pulled his shirt up before Mia could vanish it, and Mia pouted. He ignored her as the paranoid auror nodded slowly.

"This is amazing," Tonks said brightly. Molly had moved to try and hug Mia, but the boys tightened their protective stance.

"She's healing, Molly," Sirius said quietly. He looked down at the small girl with worry, Remus sighing softly.

"What on earth is she healing from?" Molly demanded in her motherly voice.

"It's nothing, Mrs. Weasl-"

"Bellatrix Lestrange tortured her merely days ago," Remus interrupted, glaring at Mia. The entire room, except for those that already knew, sucked in a breath. Harry and Ron shared a dark look, and Ginny looked like she wanted to comfort her friend but couldn't figure out how to get to her.

"Well then," Andromeda said, extremely pale now. "I think we should let her and her friends rest now."

The adults agreed quickly, and Mia left the room with Regulus and Avery at her sides, Fred and George behind her, Harry and Ron in front of her, and Ginny ahead of them. Sirius and Remus had tried to follow, filled with worry for the little witch, but had been held back along with Fabian and Gideon.

Mia filled into Sirius's room with her friends and closed her eyes as everyone found their spots. Avery and Regulus naturally sat next to Mia on the bed, and Fred and George on the other side. Ginny sat between Harry and Ron, holding Harry's hand tightly.

The room was silent for a few beautiful moments as Mia tried to collect herself. Regulus put a comforting hand on her leg, and Ron exploded.

"What the bloody hell, Hermione!?" He screamed at her. She flinched slightly, and Regulus's jaw snapped shut. "You went to the damn past?!"

"I didn't mean to, Ron, and Fred was there too." She said, trying for a calm voice.

"Yeah, but he didn't pick up any bloody boyfriends, did he?!"

"Well, it'd be a little odd if I did, Ronnikins. I don't happen to like boys." Fred said, trying to diffuse the tension. He'd been expecting this outburst.

"Well, I'm sorry, Ronald, but it just sort of… happened!"

"Lay off her, Ron. I think it's brilliant." Ginny said with an evil smile. "Plus, she's a lot less… frazzled, have you noticed? She swore earlier."

"Sort of happened…" Ron repeated, ignoring his sister. "What, did you sleep with him?" He asked viciously. Mia tensed as she gripped her boyfriend's hand, who had been suspiciously quiet so far.

"I did sleep with him, Ronald." She smirked at the look on Ron's face. "I had a panic attack and he and Sirius helped me calm down, and then I slept with both of them in the Room of Requirement. Completely innocently."

"So, what, you had some freaky threesome?" Ron said angrily, not understanding.

"Ronald! No! We _slept_. Nothing else. I'm _sorry_ if you're angry you didn't 'snatch me up first,' but just like the Yule Ball, you should've made a bloody move! I'm sorry that I moved on but for fucks sake," she swore, and Ginny grinned brightly, "do not _ever_ treat me like a _possession_ , much less one that _you_ had to begin with!" She finished in a huff.

"Well… well, I… I don't see…" he stuttered, trying to come up with a comeback. Fred looked at him darkly.

"Leave, little brother, before they hex you."

"Oh yeah? Who exactly is going to hex me?" Ron asked in a mocking tone.

"We will," Avery said, raising his wand with Regulus. Regulus looked murderous. They trained their wands on the boy. "Leave."

"I don't- this isn't your house. You can't make me," Ron said immaturely.

"Are you forgetting who I am?" Regulus asked in a low voice. "I can ask these bloody wards to delete you from existence!"

Ron's eyes widened and he turned to leave. "Harry, come on."

Harry looked at him like he was crazy. "Are you kidding? No."

Ron looked back before stalking out in a huff. George watched as Mia gently pulled the wand from Regulus's hand and reminded him that she was okay. "Wow, Granger. Hell of a boyfriend you've got."

She smiled at him. "It's Potter. And I've missed you, George." She looked at Harry and Ginny and sighed. "I've missed all of you."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Holy shit a long chapter.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!**

 **Edit: thinking about it now, I do remember thinking it was odd that this chapter was 8,000 words when I thought it was five. Oops.**


	23. Chapter 23

**This chapter is coming early since you're all so lovely about the little mess ups. Though I did try to post it less than a minute ago and it went all computer stuff on me again. (Yes, that is a technical term. At least at 2:30 in the morning it is.)**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Twenty Three**

July 3rd, 1997

"Mia." She looked up at the door and sighed, seeing Andromeda Tonks with her daughter and Sirius. She nodded them in and sat up, biting her lip. "The House of Black owes you two life debts."

"It- what?" She asked, surprised.

"Kitten, I'm taking up the role of Head of House." Sirius said, shocking Mia.

"You're- what?" She asked, confused now as well as surprised. Sirius nodded with a shrug.

"Regulus is sixteen. I'm thirty seven. Besides, I'm the rightful heir."

"But you _hate_ the House!"

"I used to," he agreed, sitting next to her while Tonks eyed her carefully. She seemed to be one of the few people to understand that Mia was a totally different person from Hermione. "But I really hated the people and what the stood for."

"Tojours Pur," Mia said. "Always Pure."

"Yes." Sirius sighed. "But it doesn't have to mean blood. It can mean pure of heart and soul, or pure of intention and love. Pure isn't always a bad word, Mia Mine."

"So… you'll restore the House, then?" She asked slowly.

"Yes, with the help of Dromeda and Mini Tonks," he said, waving at his cousins. "I'm going to do the ritual to bring them back into the House."

"Okay. So why are you here, then?" She asked, crossing her legs and looking at him.

"Because we want to bring you in, too. I'd love to make you the heir, but sadly it's a male thing. So Harry will be the heir."

"Can he do that? You know, with him being the Heir to the House of Potter?"

Sirius shrugged. "I guess so."

"Okay," Mia said slowly. "but why me? I'm not even a-" she cut off, gasping. "I'm a pureblood because of the Potters!"

Sirius nodded now, smiling as she got it. "I'd like to do with you what mum and dad did with Fred. You'll share a bond between the Houses. Any member of the family – bar Lestrange and Malfoy, since I'm disowning them – will give you refuge or support you in times of need." He shrugged with a lopsided smile. "So, us and some cousins in Canada."

"Okay," she agreed, grinning. "Anything for you, Star Shine."

"Star Shine?" Tonks repeated with a snort.

"Shut it," Sirius growled playfully. "Only Mia gets to call me that."

"Just like he's the only one that can call me kitten," she shrugged. "I hate nicknames."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "You seemed to love them in the seventies."

Mia smirked at him and kissed his cheek. "Those are pet names, love." He laughed before narrowing his eyes at her.

"What about Little Lion?"

"Oh." She faltered, thinking of Severus.

"Anyways," Andromeda interrupted, saving Mia. "we planned on having the ceremony soon." Mia nodded and paused before walking out the door.

"Where's Reg? Isn't he coming?"

Sirius looked down, but Tonks answered with an amused smirk. "He's in time out. Punched Ron."

"He what?!"

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"She's so different," Ginny whispered, huddled in a circle with the twins – younger and older alike – and Harry.

"She wasn't like this before?" Fabian asked with a raised eyebrow. "Mia's always been rather feisty. Nearly destroyed Fred when he outed their secret."

"To be fair," Fred started, grinning at his sister. "She did that a lot when I made her tell people."

"How many people did you tell?!" Ginny snapped, thinking of how angry Hermione got when people ignored her plans.

"Er- the Marauders, minus Peter, Fabian and Gideon." He answered with a shrug. "Though not Fabian and Gideon at the same time."

"Yeah, she pulled her wand on me when we got to my office," Gideon laughed with a fond smile. "Knew right away that I wasn't Fabian here."

"That was my office, you prat," Fabian teased his brother.

"Will you shut up? They're doing something," Harry scolded, listening through the Extendable Ear.

They found that the rituals were rather boring to listen to. Fred commented when they did Mia's, explaining what it exactly was. The Tonks, minus Mr. Tonks, were brought back into the House next. They were all surprised when Mia was called to bless the ritual with a drop of blood, but Ginny sighed.

"She did say she and Sirius were blood bonded as siblings, remember?" She reminded them, shushing their 'ah' and 'oh' so she could continue listening.

"And now I call upon the Family Magic and declare Lucius Mafloy, Rodopholus Lestrage, Rabastian Lestrange, and Bellatrix," he growled the name out, "Lestrange disowned by the House of Black for harming, supporting the harm of, or otherwise disrespecting members of the House of Black," Sirius said. They saw a flash of angry red light from the bottom of the door before everything fell silent. "Well, that takes care of that. Anyone want some cookies?" Sirius asked sweetly.

George pulled the ear up and glanced at his family. His uncles and his twin looked frustrated, and he looked at Fred.

 _'What's going on?'_

 _'Hermione was tortured by Bellatrix, remember?'_

 _'Oh, right. Are you three okay?'_

 _'No.'_

"Anyways, let's go get some cookies, too. I'm starving," Fred said, looking away from their silent conversation.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Sano, can we talk?"

"Mm," Mia responded, putting her quill down. "Come in." She moved her things off her bed and Avery sat next to her, looking serious.

"What is my role here?" He asked quietly. She studied him for a moment before smiling, apparently happy with what she found.

"To be a friend. Save people that need to be saved. Be… my friend." She sighed and let the smile fall, allowing him to see her pain as well. "This is as hard as the first time I went to a different time," she explained. "Except there's no going back there. James and Lily are… dead. So are Marlene and Mary. Merlin… Alice and Frank are… not okay."

"I meant to ask… Sano, what about Severus?" She flinched at the question. She'd spent the past day defending him and hoping she was right.

"He was my potions professor. Bloody awful to us. He was a bit of a bully. But I always had a feeling that he was a good man. Dumbledore trusted him, so that just made me trust him more… He killed him. Severus killed Dumbledore.

"But I would trust him with my life, Mia Potter or Hermione Granger. He's the man I became friends with, I just know it. I'm going to save him, Avery, I promise."

Avery smiled softly at her. "You always do, Mia."

"Anyway, I need you. The Order needs you. You can't really go back to Voldemort after twenty years, but you can become an Order member and help out."

"If that's what you want, Sano." He nodded at her before leaving the room. She sighed. She knew that Avery and Severus had sworn fealty to her as well, about a week or two after Regulus had. It pissed her off to no end, but there was no point in arguing about it. They couldn't very well take it back.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"I'm buying her a bloody broom," Gideon said as he and Fabian touched the ground. They'd been playing Quidditch with Ginny for hours, and they were amazed. The girl was brilliant.

"Better ask mum," Ginny called. "She hates expensive gifts."

The twins shared a look before rolling their eyes. "She's rich; what does she care?"

"Um, she's not rich." Ginny said, looking at them like they were crazy.

"What do you mean?" Fabian said, looking at Gideon. Neither of them had a good feeling about this.

"Well, we don't have much money," Ginny explained, looking slightly embarrassed.

"What do you mean?" Gideon repeated. "We left her everything in our wills."

Ginny shrugged. "I think someone at the ministry said that because there were no bodies, they couldn't prove you weren't just taking a surprise extended vacation." She sighed. "Mum was grieving and had just had the twins. She wasn't in a place to work out 'the estate.' She just let her lawyer do that bit."

"Molly!" The twins yelled together. They were carefully keeping their anger in check as their sister ran out of the house, looking at them like they were insane.

"Stop yelling!" Molly yelled.

"Why didn't you tell us that our money sat to rot?" Gideon demanded.

"I- Ginny, what did you tell them?!" Molly questioned, avoiding her brothers.

"Shush, Molly Wolly, it's not her fault." Fabian said, rolling his eyes. They'd always known their sister was weird about money, but she had promised to take her inheritance.

"Did you break your promise, Molls?" Gideon asked, giving her a pathetic look. "You promised to at least take your inheritance."

"I- well, we didn't have time to sort all that out," Molly defended.

"Molly," Fabian started, wrapping an arm around his sister as Ginny watched on in wonder.

"You're a Prewett," Gideon continued, also wrapping an arm around her.

"You have a vault at Gringott's."

"And you mean to tell us,"

"That you disrespected our dearly departed wishes,"

"By not taking the money we've offered?"

Molly looked outnumbered and overpowered. She sighed deeply. "We don't need charity-"

"This isn't bloody charity! It's a birth right!" Fabian argued. He wasn't going to let her win. "We're not asking you to live like snobby blood purists,"

"We just want you and your family comfortable and happy." Gideon finished with a smile. He knew the family bit would get her.

"I- oh, alright. I'll look for the key," Molly agreed.

"Good! Oh, and we're buying dear Ginerva," Ginny thwacked the twin with her gloves, "here a broom. She's a wonderful Quidditch player if you'll just admit it."

Molly said nothing, which Ginny counted better than arguing. They walked back into Grimmauld Place together, the twins looking victorious with a pouting Molly and smirking Ginny next to them.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Bill!" Mia squeaked, jumping from her seat in the library to greet the eldest Weasley. "When did you get here?"

"Just a bit ago. Charlie's here too, but I tossed him to the wolves to escape." The man smirked at Mia. "Told Mum he's got a girlfriend."

Mia grinned. "Does he?"

"Hell if I know, Granger." Bill laughed. Mia sighed at the name, and he noticed. "So it's true then?"

"What's true?" Regulus asked from the door.

"Go away. I'm still not talking to you," Mia informed her boyfriend. He pouted slightly but left the room as quickly as he entered. She looked back to Bill and nodded, trying to get his mind away from the boy that just tried to come in the room. "It's true."

"You do seem different." Bill commented, looking her up and down. "More in control of yourself, I think."

"Thanks?" She said with a laugh.

"What'd they say your new name is?"

"Mia Potter." She said, smiling gently. "You don't have to call me that, though-"

"Call you what?" Charlie asked, walking in the room and closing the door, likely to avoid his mother again. He glared playfully at Bill and wrapped Mia up in a hug that she tried very hard not to flinch at.

"Mia," Bill answered.

"Oh right! You're really all different and," Charlie waved his hand at her. "Time travely?"

"Charlie, that's not a word." Mia rolled her eyes. "But, yeah. Basically."

"Cool!" The brothers exclaimed together, making Mia laugh.

"I did miss you two," she said. "Your uncles came as a close second."

"You were close with them?" Bill asked, sobering up.

"Were? I _am_ close with the idiots," Mia laughed. When she saw the looks on their faces, she frowned. "Has no one told you?"

"What are you talking about?" Charlie asked carefully.

"Fabian!" Mia yelled. There was a beat of silence before the twin apparated into the room, bowing to her.

"Her Highness called?" He winked. Mia scowled at him and he frowned. "What? What'd I do? It was Gideon, whatever it was."

"Shush. Turn around." She ordered gently, gripping his shoulders and turning him to face his nephews.

"Holy shit," he commented. Mia knew they were the only two, aside from Prat Percy, he'd met before he had "died."

"Uncle Fabian?" Bill asked slowly. He remembered little bits and pieces of his uncles, but not much.

"Bill… Charlie," Fabian sighed. "You're adults!" Mia rolled her eyes at him but smiled. She hugged Bill and Charlie one last time before leaving the room to let them talk.

"You're… alive!" Bill retorted. Charlie hit his brother on the head.

"Nice one, Bill, very smart."

"Shut up, I'm just surprised."

"Really? That your excuse for every time you state the obvious?"

"No, but I bet it's yours," Bill retorted lamely.

Fabian laughed loudly, causing the two to stop and look at him curiously. "No, it's just… now I see where Mia and Fred get it from."

"Mia," Bill and Charlie said, finally understanding. "She saved your life?"

Fabian shrugged. "I take half credit. I helped her with the spell, but yeah. Gid's too, but he's with Molly making us alive again and making sure she takes her inheritance this time." He scowled at the memory. "I'm bloody giving you kids money too, just to piss her off. Call it late allowance."

"You're… Whoa." Bill said in wonder. "You're just as great as I remember."

"So you helped Mia… save you?" Charlie asked curiously.

"Well, not knowingly. I thought she was just finding herself and your brother a way home, but she gave Gid and I a timekey, along with her little boyfriend, Regulus-"

"She has a boyfriend?!" The brothers yelled. Fabian stopped and stared at them before nodding slowly.

"Yes. Regulus Black. Why? Oh Merlin- you two don't have feelings for-"

"No," Charlie assured him quickly. Bill looked a little disgusted by the idea. "We think of her as a little sister, though. Same as Ginny."

"Ah," Fabian nodded. "So do Gideon and I. We watched out for her, don't you worry. Regulus is a good kid. We approve."

The brothers seemed to consider this before nodding and deciding to do their own research.

"Where'd she disappear to, anyway?" Charlie asked, looking around the library. Bill shrugged lightly, looking to his uncle.

"Ah, no clue. Though if I had to guess, I'd say with Sirius or Remus or maybe Ginny. She's avoiding Ron and Regulus, and Harry is avoiding her. Dunno where Mini Me and Mini Gid went off to, but I expect some explosion in an hour," Fabian explained with a grin.

"Why's she not getting on with the rest of the Golden Trio?" Bill asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Golden what now?"

"No one's told you?" Charlie asked. When Fabian shook his head, the brothers launched into the tale of why they'd adopted Harry and Hermione as siblings. It took them an hour, but they explained everything they knew.

"So… Merlin…" Fabian said, still processing.

"Yeah. It's why we treat her like Gin and Harry like another brother," Bill said. "But more Hermi- er, Mia. She's got no magical family."

"Actually, she does." Fabian sighed. "She's bound to the House of Potter and the House of Black. She's got some family now."

"Wow." Charlie said, surprised.

"That's cool." Bill agreed.

"But she's still a sister," Charlie explained.

"We had her first." Bill said with a cheeky smile.

Fabian grinned at his nephews fondly. He was glad to find Mia had good family, but he was still horrified at what she'd gone through. He decided to tell Gideon and maybe talk to Mia as he continued his conversation with his nephews.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Mia flopped onto the couch and rested her head in Remus's lap. He picked his book up and moved it to the side in a fluent manner that said they'd done this a million times before. Absently, he stroked her hair and easily began reading out loud, forgetting anyone else was in the room.

Tonks eyed them with an amused smile on her face, turning to face Remus and Mia. "Remus?" She interrupted.

"I- Oh, right. I'm sorry," he blushed. He went to move his hand from Mia's hair, but Tonks rolled her eyes and placed it back. Mia remained silent but Tonks knew she was listening closely for any sign of disapproval.

"I don't mind that at all, it's just that you were going to explain Wolfsbane to me when you finished the chapter."

"Oh, I can read by myself while he does that," Mia offered, smiling up at Tonks. The older girl smiled back, nodding. She really did like the girl – Mia and Hermione both – and she knew she was no competition. She had felt the mate bond herself, the first moment she'd locked eyes with Remus.

And so they fell into a comfortable companionship, Remus stroking Mia's hair lovingly while explaining the potion that Tonks already knew about, and Mia read silently, calming down at the touch immediately.

"What on earth is going on here?!" They heard Molly screech from the doorway. Tonks had leaned close – very close – to Remus, and Mia had comfortably spread her legs into the girls lap and ignored their flirting.

"Molly, I'm not sure what you're talking about," Mia said with that dangerous fake calm that Remus had come to know. "We're just hanging out."

"Hanging out?! You two are hanging all over him is what you are!" Molly managed to choke out. Mia sighed and handed the book to Tonks, who checked the page number before closing it. She looked at Molly but didn't sit up, refusing to leave her safe place.

"I don't know what you're insinuating, Molly, but-"

"But nothing! You're… in his lap!" She said in a scandalized tone.

"Are you suggesting I am not faithful to my idiot boyfriend?" Mia asked with a sickly sweet smile.

"I- I'm merely saying that it is inappropriate-"

"Because I know you're not suggesting that I would try to flirt with Remus when his mate is _clearly_ Tonks here."

"Well-"

"And I _have_ told you that I'm dating Regulus, so it would be just rude to assume I'm flirting with a man so much older than me?" She finished before looking at Remus in the eyes. "Not that there's anything wrong with dating someone younger." She looked at Tonks and received a small, happy wink.

"Well, of course I wasn't-"

"Oh, good. I didn't think you would. So, was there something you needed, Molly?"

"I- no…"

"Oh, wonderful. See, we were having a private moment and I would so love to get back to it."

"I- of course," Molly said, looking confused as she left the room.

"Mia," Remus said with a grin.

"You're bloody brilliant!" Tonks said.

"Mm. Give me the book back," Mia said dully, and continued reading as the couple started talking again. She felt the stress drip off of her shoulders as she fell back into her happy place, happier still that Remus was with Tonks in it.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Wow, last chapter for the night.**

 **I love Mia. I just love our girl. She's a doll.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!**

 **P.S. if anyone is wondering what she was stressed about to begin with, it was Regulus. She's not talking to him for punching Ron – a scene which I plan on writing tomorrow to put in my Drabbles, short stories, and one shots. Check it out on my profile if you'd like!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Okay, so I'd like to remind everyone that I own nothing except for this weird plot.**

 **By the way, there are thirty two of you? Holy shit.**

 **I do realize there's a bit more swearing than usual here, but my muse is a bit feisty right now. Or last night. Whenever part of this was-**

 **You get the point.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Twenty Four**

Mia was annoyed. Harry had avoided her like the plague – something she understood and decided to talk to him about in a few days, giving him time to calm down – but Fred had avoided her as well, which meant George avoided her, too.

She had understood it at first. Fred had spent months away from his other half and had hated every moment of it. But eventually, they'd be left alone in a room for a moment, and he'd go out of his way to leave, making up some fake task to steal his attention.

She'd most recently tried to corner him, and he used the worst excuse yet.

"Fred, I was wondering if we could talk," Mia said, walking into the bedroom he shared with George and now Ron. Fred looked up at her with a deer in headlights expression.

"Uh, sorry Granger. Mum just called me," he said before apparating away.

Mia swore loudly – something that would offend many muggles but unlikely to offend wizards. She sat on the bed with a sigh.

"Merlin, Hermione, I've never heard you speak like that," Ginny said from the door.

"Yeah, well, your brother annoys me that much," Mia responded grumpily.

"What'd he do now?" Ginny asked, walking to sit next to her friend. Mia sighed and rested her head on the other girl's shoulder.

"They're avoiding me. I did everything I could. I mean, I get Harry. I couldn't save his parents, and fuck, Ginny, that's killing me." She explained quietly. "Jamie was a best friend and a brother. Lily was the first girlfriend, aside from you, that I actually liked."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Thanks for soothing my ego."

"Anytime," Mia let herself laugh softly before returning to the problem. "Ron is just… Ron," she said. It really did explain everything. "But Fred… he and I went there together, came back together. I get him needing time with George, but he's completely avoiding me now. He just lied to my face and apparated away when I cornered him, Ginny!"

"Well I should think it's obvious," the younger girl said, rolling her eyes. "He likes you and feels guilty for liking you. Probably thinks you're his sister or something." Mia gave her an alarmed look and she shrugged. "You know, cause of the Potter house bondy thingy."

"'Bondy thingy,' is that a technical term?"

"Quite."

"Ginny, Fred doesn't like me like that. He's just… Fred." Mia said before hastily adding, "and we are not siblings."

"Well, I'm just telling you what I see. Can I call you Mia now? I like you. You're Hermione but feisty and shit," Ginny grinned evilly as Mia rolled her eyes and nodded. "Cool. Sirius wants to talk to you, by the way. Said something about a door woman-"

"Ginny," Mia said, trying not to laugh. "Did he say Dorea?"

Ginny nodded brightly. "That's the one! Said she left stuff for you or something."

"Gin, Dorea was my mum and Charlus was my dad. They're Harry's grandparents."

"Oh," Ginny said. "They were good to you?"

"The best. They even introduced Fred and I formally at the New Year's ball. They loved us like their own, Gin. I love them to pieces."

"Good. You deserve the best," Ginny declared, standing and pulling Mia to her feet. "Now go; Sirius is waiting for you in his fancy ass study with your fake best friend, Remus."

Mia laughed and pecked Ginny's cheek before making her way to the "fancy ass study" that was, in fact, really fancy. She made a face as she entered.

"Really? I get accepting Lordship, but isn't this a little overboard?" Mia asked, sitting on the desk in front of her friends. Sirius was sitting in the chair with Remus behind him. Mia couldn't decide if he looked more like a Steward or the killer from the muggle movie Clue.

"Ha ha ha," Sirius rolled his eyes. "It was Arcturus's. Haven't managed to redecorate yet, seeing as I've been dead." Mia flinched slightly, and Sirius realized that she still thought it was her fault. "Oh, love, please, it wasn't your fault. It was Bellatrix… speaking of which, we wanted to bring Poppy here to have a look at you. I know I did the best I could, but you still wince when people touch you, and I don't want to leave you like that."

Mia shrugged a bit. "I'm fine. Healing fine. Remus, are you going to kill him in the study with the candlestick? Because you certainly look like it," she grinned as she deflected the question easily, knowing her boys would bite.

"No, Mia dear, it was Arthur in the kitchen with the pipe, didn't you hear?" Remus grinned back while Sirius looked on in wonder.

"Nerdy muggles," the Black Lord shook his head, though he was obviously happy. "Well, Poppy will be here midday," he announced and Mia groaned inwardly. She realized he must be more mature now that he had a godson and Ancient and Noble House to look after. "And I wanted to talk to you about the stuff Mum left for you in the will."

"What about Fred?"

"We already talked to him," Remus said with a sad sigh. "He asked if the meetings could be separate."

"Fuck," Mia whispered. Sirius and Remus shared a look before the former pulled her into a careful hug.

"He'll come around."

"Ginny says he likes me." Mia said, waiting for them to disprove the theory, but the boys shared another look.

"You know…"

"That might just be true." Mia frowned and hit Sirius's back.

"You're supposed to tell me it's not and that he's just an idiot and then make me cry with whatever Dorea's given me!"

"Oh, well…"

"We can make you cry, if you want,"

"But we don't like doing that,"

"Because you hexed us right after, last time." Sirius finished, scrunching his nose at the memory.

Mia rolled her eyes at their twin talk. "Because I thought you were going to die! You," she pointed at Sirius, "went out on the full moon in human form whilst drunk after a date, an hour before he was meant to turn back human! And you," she pointed to Remus now, "on your Wolfsbane, you locked yourself up in the Shack and didn't come out until morning, declaring yourself king of werewolves! You were drunk too!"

"We just-"

"Bloody idiots," Mia muttered, obviously riled up again. That was not what they'd meant to do.

"Er, Mia, we just need to read the will," Remus said in a nearly pleading voice.

"Fine."

"She left you about two… no, three million galleons-"

"What?!" Mia screamed.

"Er- yeah, in the trust. That's just from her side. Charlus left you about five mill-"

"Holy shit." She breathed, grabbing the desk and Sirius for support, as she suddenly felt quite dizzy.

"And they left you a few properties as well. One in Godric's Hollow next to James and Lily's, one in Diagon Alley, and one then she's left you the deed to Potter Manor, though Harry has the right to it if he wants it."

"Holy shit," she repeated. She really was swearing a lot today.

"Er- and I've set up a trust for you too, kitten." Sirius said nervously. As predicted, she hit his arm hard. "Ow!"

"I'm a bloody millionaire, what do I need more for?!" she yelled, trying to hit him again but failing when Remus stepped forward and gently grabbed her hand, interlacing their fingers.

"Because you're a Black now, too, and we protect each other," Sirius said firmly. "You never know what could happen. I'm also signing over the deed to a house in France that belonged to Uncle Alphard to you, and you will accept it because otherwise you will horribly offend me and I see no way we could possibly be friends ever again." Sirius said, managing to be overly dramatic and extremely serious at the same time.

"I-" Mia huffed and kicked Sirius under the desk. "Fine."

"Good! Now, just one last thing." Sirius said, kissing her forehead before walking out to get someone. Mia turned to Remus and silently pulled him into a hug, resting her head against his chest. He held her quietly, knowing she needed support now more than anything. The others may have forgotten, but Remus knew she was mourning James and Lily silently, along with Charlus and Dorea and even Dumbledore, and so many more of their friends.

Sirius walked back into the room with a hand on Harry's shoulder, gripping it tight. "Right. Harry, sit next to Mia. Mia, let go of poor Remus and behave like the adult you pretended to be in school."

"Sirius-"

"Shush. My turn to talk."

"That's all you've done since I came in here!"

"Yeah, well, I love my voice." He winked at her before turning to Harry. "Harry, stop moping and understand that Mia did give your parents a way here, but they didn't use it. Didn't you, Mia?"

Mia nodded slowly, not able to look at Harry. "I gave them both rings that would send them to the future. Lily… she found something and sacrificed herself. It wouldn't have worked if she hadn't… died…" Mia's voice cracked as she said the word, and she took a deep breath, looking down again. "Jamie… he promised me he'd use… I'm so sorry…"

"Mia Mine, you did what you could," Sirius said gently.

"I didn't realize you'd… tried to save them for me," Harry said, looking at the girl he considered a sister.

"It was for you at first," Mia said quietly. "But then it became for me, too. Jamie is my brother, by blood, by choice, by love, by bond. I… I saw him just yesterday…" Mia cut off, closing her eyes tightly.

"I didn't know," Harry admitted, ashamed when he saw and heard her pain. He'd been so wrapped up in himself that he didn't notice her suffering.

"I didn't tell you, Harry."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Are you going to be mad at me forever? I've apologized already." Regulus sighed as he cornered Mia in the library.

"To who?" Mia asked, eyebrow raised.

"What?"

"Who did you apologize to?" She asked again, slightly annoyed.

"I- Ron, of course." Regulus replied slowly. He realized he'd missed something, but he couldn't understand what.

"Shame," Mia said. "He did deserve it."

"He- what?"

"Well, he deserved to be hit." Mia said slowly, like he was a child.

"Then why are you upset?!" Regulus yelled, completely lost.

"Because I have lived for six years fighting my own battles, and I refuse to let you swoop in and fight one of my best friends just because he's got some childhood crush on me. Honestly, Regulus, I'm with you, not him. Relax."

"So," Regulus started slowly, determined not to make her mad again. She was downright scary when mad, and she'd been in a mood. "You're… upset because I didn't apologize to you?"

Mia nodded like an exhausted teacher whose student had just understood something simple. "Yes."

"Mia, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to assume you need help; I know you're more than capable. It just pisses me off to hear someone insult you."

"Apology accepted." Mia kissed him softly and grabbed his hand. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"You're insane," he said affectionately. "Have I told you I love you today?"

"I love you, too, Reg."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Remus looked up at his cub as he walked in the room. Harry gave him a small smile and paused by the door. "Can we talk?" He sounded nervous, but Remus had been expecting this. He gave a nod and Harry sat across from the werewolf.

"Something bothering you?" Remus asked quietly.

"I was wondering… Well, why didn't I hear about Mia until she got back? Wouldn't my grandparents have… well, they did put her in their wills. So I don't get it."

"Mia and Fred were very careful." Remus sighed and sat back. "When Dorea decided to take them home to heal Mia – Dorea had found out about the… run in with Bellatrix – Mia decided it was time to leave. She had all the rings ready, so they decided to leave. She gathered all of us – us Marauders, her girlfriends like Lily and Alice, Fabian and Gideon, and her Slytherins – in the Room of Requirement and put a spell on our memories so we wouldn't remember her until she wanted us to.

"And then she left. From what Avery told me, he'd been called for a raid of Diagon Alley that night. Mia hadn't blocked his memories, though you'd have to ask her why. She and Fred went to Diagon Alley that night for supplies, I'm guessing. They got caught up in the attack along with Dorea. Avery said a Killing Curse was sent after a child and Mia grabbed the kid, but she was in the way, so he went to save her."

"Why would he do that, in front of all the other Death Eaters?" Harry asked with a frown. Remus sighed deeply. He wasn't sure Mia wanted to spread this bit about.

"Regulus, Avery, and Snape all swore fealty to her on their magic. Apparently Regulus did it in the middle of a fight they had, and the other two followed suit. So, Avery was just following his oath."

"They… Whoa."

"I know. We were amazed the first time we saw their devotion to her. It's fierce, Harry." Remus nodded, rubbing his head a bit.

"When did you guys see it?" Harry asked, tilting his head a bit.

"The day we brought her back after the attack. James, Sirius and I got there first, but Sirius told Regulus who then told Avery and Snape, and they got there right away. Regulus had a huge break down and started breaking things. The other two just sat with him, but they had theirs as well."

"Snape had a break down over Hermione being hurt?" Harry said, almost not believing him.

"No, Snape had a break down over Mia being hurt," Remus corrected. "They loved her – or still do love her – just the same as we do. Your dad and Sirius, one of them was always with her. Regulus never left the room at all during those days. They made me go to class and bring back their work and just pretend like everything was okay so no one got suspicious."

"Wow. I know Hermione said she loved them all, but I guess I figured it was just because she knew at least you and Sirius and she knew of my parents."

"No," Remus said, shaking his head. "She loved all of us because she let us in and got to know us, and we love her back. I remember Marlene saying something once about how Mia was always the center. She wasn't wrong at all. It wasn't an attention thing, either, Harry. It's just that people gravitate toward her and then… I don't know, just sort of orbit there."

"Like in the Order meeting, you, Sirius, Avery, and Regulus did this… circle thing around her."

Remus nodded with a lopsided grin. "Yep. We always do that."

"So… what? You're like her best friends turned guards?"

Remus snorted. "No. She'd kill us if we even thought she needed protection. But all of us feel better when we do it. And it's not just us four that do it. Fabian and Gideon, too. Snape did it. James did it. Even Fred does, which probably means George would, too.

"We're not exactly her guards. We just watch out for her, more."

"So… like guards?" Harry laughed, and Remus joined in after a moment of thinking.

"Yeah, I guess a bit. But please don't mention it. I'd rather not be hexed."

"Got it," his cub laughed. "I guess I'm glad Hermione has you guys. She seems so much… lighter."

"I'm not sure what she wants you to call her, Harry, but she's always Mia to me. Hermione is a different person. Did you know she's asked Sirius to help her put her two lives together? She's legally changing her name to Mia Potter, but I think you and Ron and everyone else should have a conversation with her about what she wants you to call her."

"She… okay," Harry said, frowning. "I'm just… I don't want to lose her."

"You never could," Remus said. "When she first got there, we hadn't even gotten to the common room before she freaked out over not having you there. She missed you a great deal, Harry. She may have us, but that doesn't replace you."

Harry seemed to consider this before nodding a bit. "Ginny loves Mia. She said she's Hermione 2.0."

Remus grinned at that and laughed. "I guess you could consider her that." He considered it for a moment before realizing how accurate it really was.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"So why are you avoiding her again?" George asked.

"Because she- I just think she needs to readjust." Fred said with a sigh.

"I thought you stopped lying to me when we were three, brother."

"Fine," Fred said with an annoyed sigh. "Because I still adore her, George. If I give her enough time, she'll ignore me like she always did and I'll forget it."

"You've been drooling after her for a few years, Freddie. That's not gonna go away in a few minutes, especially not after that… ordeal."

"Maybe, but it has to. She's completely in love with Regulus, and he's wonderful to her," Fred stated bitterly. He knew that Regulus was generally a great guy, and he pushed himself to be better for Hermione, and that just annoyed Fred. They were in love, and he knew it.

"She needs you, Freddie. She's mourning her brother," George said quietly. He hadn't wanted to bring that up, but so few people seemed to notice that bit. "She's actively trying to go to you for comfort, and you're avoiding her."

Fred was quiet for a few moments before sighing and throwing himself back on the bed. "I hadn't thought of that."

"That's what I'm here for, brother o' mine. You'll find her, then?"

"Tomorrow. I'm going to bed."

"Scardy cat," George accused with a smile. He didn't care when Fred did it. He just wanted his brother to stop pouting like a lovesick puppy.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **So, this feels like a bit of a filler chapter, but I'm kinda stuck. There's gonna be something… important next chapter if I can manage to make it work.**

 **I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty Five**

July 10th, 1997

Mia smiled at her little otter as it swam away. She turned back to her boyfriend and relaxed in his lap. "You'll come with me? I just need to be safe."

"Of course. Anything for you," he smiled and nuzzled her neck, wrapping his arms around her waist. It had been about a year since he'd seen her, and he had missed her, even if he hadn't realized it. He kissed her neck gently and looked up at her. "I mean it."

Mia gave him a serious look and grabbed his face. "You mean anything?"

He nodded a bit, and she kissed him gently. "Live through this war for me. Please."

"Mia-"

"Please, Regulus. That's all I'm asking of you. Just live for me."

"I- Okay." He promised. She smiled at him again, and he immediately felt better. He would give her anything if she just smiled at him like that. She was his weakness, and he was completely fine with that. "I love you."

"I love you," she whispered back before pressing their lips together again. He returned the kiss happily, holding her tight to him. She let out a content sigh that just made him even happier. Every little thing she did he adored. She was fierce and headstrong and prideful, but she was sneaky and careful and caring, and she was so fiercely loyal and kind, and she was clever, so extremely clever. She was also extremely beautiful, but Regulus found he didn't care much about that. She was perfect, and she was his, and that made him the luckiest and happiest man in the world.

He loved her and she loved him, and he found that anything that happened in his life would be worth it because of these little moments with her. He was happy, and it was because of this little witch in his arms.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Granger," a voice drawled. "Why did you ask to meet me? I could just kill you if I wanted."

"No, you couldn't, because then he would kill you. Probably in an extremely painful way," Mia responded cheerfully.

"Yes, it would be," Regulus growled out, not happy with the immediate threat.

"And who the hell are you?" Draco demanded.

"Regulus Black. Mia's boyfriend."

"And I'm Mia," she grinned, offering a hand to shake. Draco ignored it, confused.

"Regulus Black died."

"Nope," Mia popped the p. "I saved him. I'd have been so annoyed if he died."

"What's going on, Granger?" He asked, a bit more aggressively this time. Regulus narrowed his eyes and stepped in front of his girlfriend.

"Play nice, Reg. He's had six years to kill me. Hasn't yet. Not even when I was a mudblood, isn't that right?" Both boys tensed at the word, and Mia rolled her eyes. Draco didn't miss the hint.

"When you _were_ one?"

"Magical adoption," Mia explained. "Dorea and Charlus adopted me, and then a few days ago, Sirius did the same for the House of Black, though I was already an unofficial member after the little blood ritual he and I did."

"Granger, what the hell- Dorea and Charlus Potter?"

"Yep."

"But they're dead. So is- well, so is Sirius Black." Draco said, slightly convinced she'd lost her mind, but he saw her tense when he said the Potters were dead. "Merlin, you're serious, aren't you?"

Mia and Regulus shared a look like they were waiting for a joke. When it didn't come, Regulus spoke. "Draco Malfoy, meet Mia Potter. Sirius would've come, but, well, he'd have probably kidnapped you or something. He and I both knew your father in school. He was awful."

"No offense," Mia added, elbowing her boyfriend.

"Yeah."

"He couldn't have been worse than your cousin," Mia said thoughtfully. Regulus tensed.

"No, he isn't."

"What the hell is going on?!" Draco said, his calm demeanor dropping a bit. He loathed not understanding something.

"Well, Draco, I've just gotten back from the past," Mia said.

And so they explained as little as possible. How they got there, the Slytherin friends Mia made, the way they got back, and removing the memories.

"Merlin…" Draco said, sitting on a chair. They'd met up at the French house Sirius was giving Mia because she refused to let it go to waste. "What do you need me for, then?"

"Because you're good, Draco," Mia said quietly. "You just have to follow your father's orders. But I don't think you do. You don't believe in what He's doing, do you?" Draco shook his head a little. "Exactly. So just help us, only a little. Pass us a little information every now and then, and I'll make sure that when the Light wins, you not only come out of the war a free man but one with respect."

"How on earth could you do that, Potter?"

"Reg, shirt." She said, and her boyfriend rolled his eyes. He'd realized she just liked the excuse to look at him, and while he was amused, he'd lost some good shirts to the cause. He pulled his shirt up and she pointed at the mark. "The Order considers that the sign of Light among Dark. All suspicion was dropped when they saw that on him and Avery."

"Avery… he was a Death Eater in the seventies. He died in a raid." Draco said, remembering the name.

"Nope," Mia grinned. "He accidentally came to the future with me. Grabbed my arm as I came home."

"Oh."

"So, will you help us?" Mia asked gently. She knew multiple people that would call her naïve for this meeting, but she trusted him.

"I- Yes."

"Oh, great!" Mia grinned. "Take your shirt off." Draco rolled his eyes but did as she said. She pulled her wand and pointed it at him, muttering the same incantation as she had with the others. She drew the paw print with her wand and watched it glow before setting in like a tattoo. She smiled brightly.

"Is that it?"

"Yes, but I have one too. It'll glow if one of you betrays me, so… don't."

"How am I supposed to get in touch with you? We can't always use a Patronus."

"No, I suppose not. Leave a Patronus for emergencies. Send something to this house. I'll make sure there's a house elf watching. I'll do the same." Mia said, grabbing Regulus's hand absently. She shifted closer to him and he straightened, wrapping a protective arm around her.

"Fine."

Mia smiled gently at her new friend. "I forgive you."

"I- I didn't ask-"

"No, but I'm offering."

They looked at each other for a few beats before he broke the eye contact and coughed a bit. "I've got to go."

"Of course. See you later, Draco."

"Bye… Mia."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"You are officially Mia Potter of the Houses of Potter and Black. Your Gringott's accounts have changed names and you are officially rich." Sirius said with a grin. Mia rolled her eyes at him and pinched his side. "Hey! What was that for?" Instead of responding, Mia sighed and looked him in the eyes.

"I found a use for that house in France."

"Oh, that's great, Kitten. What're you doing with it?"

"Meeting Draco there."

Sirius made a rather embarrassing noise and stood up suddenly, accidentally kicking her a bit. She let out a screech and stood as well, hitting his arm hard. "Be an adult!"

"Obviously I'll have to be if you're being an idiot!" Sirius muttered before rubbing his arm. "You're aggressive, you know that?"

"You just kicked me!"

"You didn't have to hit me! It was an accident!" Mia hit his arm again and sat down, crossing her arms. "Sit and listen, Star Shine," Sirius grumbled a bit but sat back down, facing her.

"Why on earth would you meet him there? He hates you."

"No, he doesn't. He trusts me enough. He's already got my mark, so deal with it. He's going to be helping us, and I'll know if he betrays us."

"You're gonna get yourself killed, Mia Mine," Sirius muttered sadly.

"No, I'm not. Do you trust me, Sirius?"

"Always," Sirius sighed.

"Regulus was there. He doesn't particularly like Draco, but you know he wouldn't have let this happen if he didn't agree with me."

"He always agrees with you, Mia." Sirius frowned. Mia snorted at that and raised an eyebrow.

"He really doesn't. Either way, it's perfectly safe. I made sure of it." Sirius sighed and rested his head on her shoulder. She rested her head on his. "How are you doing with being responsible?"

"It's… confusing."

"Harry or being a Lord?" Mia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Harry's nearly an adult, Mia. Being a Lord… it's what my parents tried to raise me to do. Or my grandpa did. It's not hard exactly, it's just…"

"Hard. I get it. I just wish I could help you. I mean, I can with Harry, but I know so little about pureblood customs-"

"I was going to talk to you about that. I think Dromeda should give you and Mini Tonks a class on Pureblood shit."

"That sounds good," Mia said with a shrug.

"You okay, kitten?"

"Stressed," Mia said, giving him a half lie. She was stressed, but she knew that's not what he meant.

"What else?" he pushed gently.

"I don't have time to mourn, love. This is war. So many people die, and they all died years ago. I can mourn them when it's over."

"Why don't you just rest? You, Ron, and Harry can all just stay inside Grimmauld Place forever and never put yourselves in danger again," Sirius said, dreaming of the day they were all safe. Mia snorted.

"Yeah, right. We're trying to save the world. Can't do it from in here, now can we?"

"Guess not," he muttered quietly. She closed her eyes and let herself relax a bit as he grabbed her hand. He was her brother. He was family and he was safe and he was home. She hadn't really noticed his age since she'd gotten back. She supposed she saw more of his life and soul than his physical age, but it had never mattered to begin with. She breathed in and out evenly, doing deep breathing that she'd learned when she was ten and had seen her mother have a panic attack. Anxiety disorders being something that ran in the family, her parents had taught her coping methods from a young age that had proved quite useful.

She breathed in and out until she'd fallen asleep curled on the couch with Sirius, feeling comforted and safe with him there. He smiled down at her happily as she slept and didn't move, but rather closed his eyes as well and willed himself to sleep, not willing to pass up such a wonderful moment.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Merlin!" Ron said, looking into the sitting room at Sirius and Mia curled together, asleep.

"Shut it," Fabian said quietly. "You'll wake them."

"But they're… cuddling." Ron said like it was some taboo thing.

"Yeah? Never cuddled Ginny before when she was upset?" His uncle asked with a raised eyebrow.

"But that's different, Ginny's my sister-"

"And Mia," he put an obvious emphasis on her name, "is his. Trust me, mate, that's innocent cuddling."

"But he's… an adult."

"And so is she. She's seventeen."

"Yeah, but he's old," Ron said lamely. Fabian laughed quietly and winked.

"Better not let him hear you say that." At the look his nephew gave him, Fabian sighed. "I don't think Mia sees him like that. When I look at Molly, I don't see her age, but I don't see her as the young girl I knew when I left, either. I just see… her. I imagine that's what she sees with him, and he with her. They're family, Ron."

"It's just weird."

"Keep in mind that she's my family too," Fabian warned. "Gid and I took her under our wing… Fred too, but he's already family."

"Okay, this is _all_ weird," Ron corrected.

"Maybe it is, but doesn't she look happy?" Fabian said quietly. "She's so relaxed and peaceful, Ron. Can't you just watch her smile and laugh and think of how happy she is and let it go? I know you've got feelings for her, but she's happy, and I think that's the most important thing. Besides, she's too headstrong for you."

Ron gave him a long look before sighing in defeat. "I know, it's just… she's always been there, you know? Who else is going to put up with me?"

"Relax, I'm sure there are plenty of girls… or guys?" he asked. When Ron shook his head, he shrugged. "Always have to ask. Anyway, there's plenty of girls out there much better suited for you."

"I guess so," Ron said. "Padma Patil always smiles at me a lot?"

"See? And that's just one girl."

And Ron left the conversation feeling better than he had in days, with a distinct promise to talk to Hermione – Mia – soon.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Lucius Malfoy's kid?" Avery asked in disbelief. Malfoy had always been loyal to the Dark Arts, even if he hadn't admitted it politically.

"Yep," Regulus nodded. "Mia just explained who she was and he switched sides just like that. I think he's scared of his dad, the poor kid. Mia insisted she trusted him, but he insulted and threatened her right away."

"And she still trusts him?!" Avery asked, apparently alarmed.

"Yeah. Said he'd been doing it since they were eleven and acted like it was a stupid childhood rivalry. He threatened her life as easily as she trusted him."

"Are you worried?"

"I'm… cautious. I think that's why she brought me, so someone would be. She may not be able to lie, but she would still be a good Slytherin." Regulus said with a small smile.

"The minute she doesn't own the room, she's dead," Avery said, agreeing. "Has she said who else she wants?"

"Apparently Lord Nott had a kid. His name's Theodore. She called him Theo, said he was actually not very prejudiced and that his dad was… less than great," Regulus winced. She'd actually said he was an abusive, manipulative piece of scum that she wanted to rid the earth of, but Regulus didn't feel the need to share that bit.

"Ah," Avery understood immediately. "Anyone else?"

"She mentioned Blaise Zabini, a friend of Draco's, but she didn't have any plans yet for him." He sighed. Mia had said he turned his head every time his friends bullied or attacked someone, but never did it himself. He shook himself and moved on. "And finally, Daphne and Astoria Greengrass. The Greengrass family are fence sitters, but the Order's been watching the girls carefully because they're associated with Draco and Blaise. She wants them protected."

Avery shook his head and breathed out of his nose. "She's got a big heart."

"It'll get her killed," Regulus sighed.

"What're you going to do?" Avery asked quietly.

"Not leave her side. You?"

"Not leave yours."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Regulus, where's the Horcrux?" Regulus stopped dead in his tracks at the words that were said as if she were asking where he put the sugar.

"What?"

"Well, we need it. We've got to destroy it, after all." Mia said slowly as if he were stupid.

"I-," He broke off with a sigh. "Kreacher!" He hadn't let the elf know he was alive until now and wasn't surprised to find the elf crying at his feet when he popped in. "Kreacher, where's the locket?"

"Kreacher couldn't destroy it, M-master, Kreacher is sorry," the elf wailed. Regulus sighed sadly at the sight.

"It's alright, Kreacher. I just need the locket." The elf nodded shortly and disappeared and popped back in moments later, locket in hand. He handed it to Regulus shakily.

"Thank you," Mia said softly to the elf. Kreacher turned to her and looked like he was going to say something before he stopped and nodded, popping back out. "That's amazing. He usually calls me a mudblood."

"He… what?" Regulus said, his voice tight. Mia rolled her eyes at him and grabbed the locket.

"Your mother's been a bad influence on him," she said. When he gave her another look, she sighed and marched him down the stairs, stopping at the portrait covered with curtains. She pulled them off, and Walburga started yelling.

"FILTHY BLOOD TRAITOR, STAIN ON THIS HOUSE, FRIEND OF A MUDBLOOD AND DISGUSTING-" She cut off when she saw her son, and Mia saw the woman speechless for the first time since the ball. "Regulus?"

"Mother," he said with distaste. "What did you just say to her?"

"She's a mudblood!" Walburga repeated, sounding proud for branding Mia with the name. Regulus looked ready to yell, but Mia held up her hand and gave her sickly sweet smile.

"I'm afraid you have me confused with someone else," she began. "But we've met before, remember? At the Potter Ball on New Year's Eve? No? I'm Mia Potter."

Walburga's eyes grew as she recognized the girl. "Filthy blood traitor!"

"Mother!" Regulus yelled loudly. "Do _not_ call her that!"

"Why not?" Walburga sneered. "It's what she is!"

When Regulus was getting angrier, Mia placed a hand on his arm to calm him. She flicked her wand and the curtains fell again, and his mother fell silent. "Come on. Let's find Harry."

"Why?"

"Because he's the only one I know that's destroyed a Horcrux before," Mia explained, grabbing his hand and dragging him into the kitchen. Harry was at the door looking mildly alarmed.

"I was just about to see who woke the beast," Harry explained at the raised eyebrows.

"I did," Mia said. "I was showing Reg what she's been spewing at Kreacher with no one to stop her."

"Oh."

"Harry, we wanted to talk to you about the Horcruxes," Mia said. Harry flinched slightly and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, we knew even before I went back that Reg knew. He's the one that put the bloody fake locket there, remember?" Harry shrugged sheepishly.

"Yeah, it's just… it had been going to be you me and Ron. Is he coming, too?"

"Yes," Regulus said immediately. Mia glared at him.

"We haven't discussed it yet."

Harry took a long look at them before changing the subject. "The basilisk fang was what killed the diary."

"Fiendfyre and Basilisk fangs or venom can kill Horcruxes. Those are the only two things I know of, but Fiendfyre is near impossible to control." Regulus sighed. "I had hoped Kreacher would… I don't know, do research? I'm not sure."

"Basilisk venom?" Mia asked. Regulus nodded and shrugged. He only knew what he'd managed to read. "Harry, how'd you kill the basilisk again?"

"I stabbed it through the roof of its mouth with the Sword of Gryffindor," he scrunched his nose and rubbed his arm absently. "Nearly killed me."

"The sword is goblin made, right?"

"Yes…" Harry and Regulus both knew that glint in her eyes. She had an idea.

"That means it would've soaked the venom! If I'm right, we can use the sword to kill the Horcruxes!"

"Mia love, how do you expect to get the sword to begin with?" Regulus asked gently. Mia deflated a little, but Harry grinned.

"I can get it, I'm sure. It should be in Dumbledore's office, yeah?"

"That's Snape's office now," a voice said, walking into the room. The three turned to see Tonks walking in, looking disgusted. "We just got word. He's to be the new Headmaster."

"What?!" Harry yelled angrily. "What about Professor McGonagall?!"

"The board, which consists of Death Eaters now, decided to appoint Snape instead. She's still deputy headmistress, though." Tonks's hair was a frustrated reddish orange as she grabbed juice from the cooling cabinet.

Mia and Regulus looked at each other, and Mia looked miserable. She wanted more than anything to visit him and get her friend back, but it seemed increasingly hard. Regulus pulled her into his arms and she saw the pained look flash across Tonks's face before disappearing.

"Thanks, Tonks," Harry muttered, ignoring the intimate embrace.

"Anytime, kiddo. I'm supposed to tell you guys to stay in the house. The ministry is extremely unstable and we're having a hell of a time bringing in Death Eaters."

"So what? We're on house arrest?"

"Nah. You can go to the Burrow. Bill made sure it's warded well. Actually, I was supposed to send you there, too." She shrugged, grinning now. "Wasn't paying too much attention when Kingsley was talking."

Mia pulled out of Regulus's arms and nodded. "Thanks, Tonks. Did you have another double?"

"Yeah. How'd you know about that?" She raised an eyebrow, but Mia grinned.

"Remus. He's so whiny when you're 'in danger.'" Both girls rolled their eyes at this.

"We're all in danger. Best to do something useful with it, at least."

Mia gave Harry a pointed look, and he blushed a bit before coughing. "We should get going if we're wanted at the Burrow, then."

"Wimp," Mia muttered, but she nodded her agreement. She grabbed her boyfriend's hand and then Harry's and they walked out of the house to apparate to the Burrow.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **This chapter is a bit slow, but it's got a few important bits.**

 **I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!**


	26. Chapter 26

**IMPORTANT NOTE/QUESTION:**

 **So I was thinking of making this a two part fic. This would be part one, obviously, and it would go until probably the end of the war itself. I would have to change this to a Mia/Reg pairing in my tags but the other part would be Mia/Fred and everyone healing from the war and stuff. I think I'm probably gonna do it, but if you guys don't like the idea, I totally get it and I'd likely reconsider.**

 **There is another option if you guys opt for not making this a two part fic, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Twenty Six**

July 11th, 1997

Mia released Harry's hand and smiled at her boyfriend before twisting her foot and focusing on the Burrow. With a loud crack, they appeared. It took less than a second for the wards to react. Mia and Harry were invited in warmly, but they stopped cold when Regulus was lifted in the air with a pained look on his face. He was biting his lips and Mia immediately knew he was trying not to scream.

"BILL! GET OUT HERE!" She screamed in alarm as she stood with panic flooding her. She was going to murder him. Bill ran out a second later and his eyes widened as he released the wards. Regulus crumpled to the ground and Mia pulled him into her lap, glaring at the man she considered a brother, who had his wand pointed at Regulus. "What the hell?!"

"Hermione – Mia – I don't know what you know of him, but that ward was set to trap-"

"Let me guess, anyone with the Dark Mark?" Mia spat out.

"I- Well yes, actually." Bill frowned but kept his wand up.

"Well he _has_ the Mark, but he's not a bloody Death Eater!" Mia screamed. Regulus was tense with pain and she waved Harry to get Molly.

"How is that possible?" Bill asked as gently as he could manage, which was not very gentle at all.

"He _was_ a spy," Mia growled, ignoring that it was a bit of a lie. "but then he came here."

Bill was saved having to respond by a worried Molly bustling over to Mia and Regulus. Both women glared daggers at Bill and he threw his hands in the air in frustration. No one had told him about the Not Exactly Death Eater Mia was dating. He waited for them to bring Regulus in the house before replacing the ward. After that was done, he stomped to the room he was sharing with Charlie while Molly fussed over the uncomfortable looking boy and pissed off girl.

"She's dating a Death Eater!" Bill yelled after putting up a silencing charm.

"What?!" Charlie screeched. He stared up at his brother with wide eyes.

"Says he was some sort of spy back in the seventies. He got caught in my wards."

"So… that's good then, isn't it? He's loyal to the Light," Charlie reasoned.

"Do you remember the last 'spy' the Order had?" Bill shot back.

"Well was he a spy for the Order or for Mia? He's a little young for the Order, Bill."

"I-," Bill stopped himself. It did sound more likely that he was helping Mia rather than Dumbledore. But that raised another question. "Then is he loyal to the Light or loyal to Mia?" Charlie seemed to consider this for a moment before shrugging.

"I'm not sure it matters. Mia is about as Light as it can get."

"I just… we don't know this guy," Bill complained. "I don't trust him."

Charlie snorted, sitting up now. "I don't trust him, either. But we gotta play nice. We already run the risk of being replaced by our uncles," he joked. "Either way, I trust her. She can handle him."

"She doesn't even stop Ron from being a dick to her, though," Bill replied, frustrated still at his youngest brother.

Charlie shrugged. "Yeah, but they're just friends."

"He treats her like shit," Bill grumbled, settling onto his bed.

"Probably why she's dating someone else," Charlie suggested with cheek.

"I'm gonna watch him around her." He declared.

"So am I," Charlie snorted. "Hell, I'm still watching Harry around Ginny."

"He has been giving her puppy eyes more recently, hasn't he?"

"Wish it could be like her first year again."

Bill grinned brightly. "You mean all the innocent kiddies and your Lisa girl?"

"I went on one date with her!"

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"So,"

"We were thinking," Fred said, waving to himself and his twin, along with Harry, Ron, Ginny, Bill, and Charlie.

"That maybe it was time," George continued.

"Someone talk to you about Mia." Fred finished with an evil grin.

Regulus stared at the boys and Ginny. "There's seven of you."

"He can count, Gred."

"I guess he can, Forge."

"Just cut to the point. Please," Regulus said with a frown.

"If you hurt her," Ginny started, moving close enough that he was relatively uncomfortable. He'd learned she was actually terrifying and that her brothers were idiots for pretending she wasn't. "once she's done with you, I will destroy every last bit of you. I'll hex you to hell and back and then I'll destroy your entire life." He matched her gaze but nodded.

"If I really do hurt her, I'll deserve all of that."

"I've got a question," Harry said, looking suspiciously mischievous. "How did you two meet?"

Regulus rolled his eyes and sighed. "Thinking back on it, I think she'd been trying to find me or plan on meeting me, but she just… ran into me. She was avoiding her boys – I don't know why, but I assume they did something stupid – and took the long way to dinner. She was going through the dungeons when she found a couple asshole Gryffindors trying to… put me out of commission before the next practice." At their raised eyebrows, Regulus shrugged. "I was Slytherin Seeker. Anyway, they'd gotten my wand away and cornered me. Mia hexed them and then cornered me herself so she could heal me."

The boys exchanged looks while Ginny grinned proudly. "Please tell me it was the Bat Bogey hex."

"Can't remember," he lied. "But she knew me right away and spewed some bullshit about being bad at potions-,"

"She actually is though," Ron said with a frown. Regulus just shrugged.

"She was great when I was her partner. She was fine with Severus, too, and even so on her own."

Harry and Ron shared a look before speaking together. "Slughorn."

"Er- okay."

"So," Charlie said. "How did you two get together?"

Regulus's lips twitched at the memory. "I asked her for help making Sirius squirm."

"Squirm?" Bill asked, looking much less angry than before.

"Sirius and I didn't… get along then. They were already very close, so I asked her to kiss me in front of him. She gave in and we did it, and Sirius said some stuff and she ran off to the Room of Requirement. James talked to her and then… I did. I asked if I could kiss her again," he paused, debating telling them about the soul bond. "and we did, and it was… the beginnings of a soul bond." There was silence after that. The Weasley's eyes had widened, but Harry looked confused.

"It's like the beginnings of a soul mate bond. Everyone has seven people with which they could create a soul bond. They're not as common as many people would think, because they can be shared between a magical person and a muggle," Ginny explained. Fred looked slightly sick, but George seemed to be the only one to understand why.

"So… you're her soulmate?" Harry asked with a thick voice.

"Only if we… er, marry and…"

"They gotta get married and have sex, Harry." Ginny said, slightly amused with the look on Harry's face.

"Do you want to marry her?" Bill asked seriously.

"Yes," Regulus said immediately. At the looks on their faces, he sighed. "If she'll have me and only when this war is over. I know she wouldn't be able to do it before. She has too many responsibilities. But I have given her a betrothal piece, and she knew what it was. She accepted it, and I told her to think of it as a muggle promise ring." He was suddenly reminded that she could wear it now in public.

"Oh,"

"That's…,"

"A lot." George finished.

"Are you all satisfied with my intentions now? Can I go?" Regulus asked politely.

Bill waved him off with a satisfied smile. "Go on."

Regulus left the room with a sigh. He was happy that so many people cared so much about her, but telling so many people his intentions when he hadn't even discussed them with her yet was frustrating to say the least.

He got out to the garden to sit before Ginny found him again and sat next to him. He looked at her and sighed inwardly.

"You need to promise me something," she said seriously. She looked… sad?

"Mm?"

"Go with them and take care of her. I know they're the Golden Trio, and I'm fine with that, but sometimes they forget to… take care of themselves. They all have hero complexes and at least Mia and Harry will give their lives up in the blink of an eye if they thought it would save someone they cared for." She paused, offering Regulus a pleading look. "Promise me you'll save my best friend. I don't know what I'd do without her, Regulus."

He gave her a long look before nodding slowly. "I'd do anything to save Mia."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

June 13th, 1997

The Order meeting had been over for a half hour, and everyone was sat around the picnic tables in the garden. Remus was sandwiched between Mia and Tonks and Sirius was on Mia's other side. Harry was next to his godfather with Ginny next to him. Regulus had decided to sit across from Ginny, and Mia thought they had some sort of weird friendship blooming. Avery was directly across from Mia and in a heated discussion with Tonks about something she couldn't quite hear, but Kingsley looked immensely amused with it. Mad Eye was at one end of the table with Ron cornered to him. Arthur was at the head of the table and Molly was close to him and sitting next to Andromeda.

Mia frowned and raised her hand to put up a shield as Mad Eye threw a hex at Sirius. "Why-,"

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

"It's dinner!"

"And if I was a Death Eater, girlie?"

"Then you wouldn't be here, Moody," Sirius grumbled. "Tonks is an auror, send the hexes her way."

"Hey!" Tonks yelled, throwing a roll at her cousin. Mia caught it and grinned, taking a bite.

"Thanks," she said cheekily.

"Where are the twins?" Molly asked, obviously frustrated.

"Er, which ones?"

"I- Oh, well, both I suppose."

Mia grinned a bit. "Your brothers are taking care of something for me," she raised a hand before Molly could interrupt. "They offered. And your sons… I honestly don't know. Should we be worried?"

"Probably," Remus laughed. "I saw them with a muggle t-shirt launcher yesterday." Molly paled a little and quickly went inside, likely to try to find and confiscate said launcher. Remus and Sirius both turned to Mia, and she smiled at the identical looks. "What are Fabian and Gideon doing?"

"They went to check Potter Manor and the property in Godric's Hallow. They've been vacant for so long, I don't want to stumble upon anything… unwanted. Especially in Godric's Hallow."

"Are you worried about dark magic or just some thick layers of dust?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well logically I know Charlus and Dorea wouldn't keep anything dark magic at the manor-,"

"Oh, actually, they had a whole trash room for dark heirlooms," Sirius said in a low voice. "James and I snuck in when we were twelve. It was nasty. If Dorea hadn't found us when she did, we probably wouldn't have made it out so easily."

"Oh," Mia frowned. "I should send a Patronus and warn them, then." Remus nodded a bit and sighed.

"And Godric's Hallow?"

"Well… the whole place feels… tainted. I'm sure nothing will come up, but I still want it checked. I mentioned it to them and they offered, saying that they were Aurors and best equipped to-,"

"To be fair," Bill interrupted, walking out of the house with Charlie. "I would be best equipped. I'm a curse breaker. I deal with dark objects every day."

Mia shrugged. "Ever tried telling your uncles no when they're set on doing something?"

Charlie grinned. "Once. Bill got sent to his room."

"I was a kid!" Bill rolled his eyes. "Why don't you tell them to come home for dinner and I'll go with them after?"

Mia shrugged and brought her wand out to cast a Patronus. " _Expecto Patronum_ ," she muttered. A silver light flew out of her wand and formed a creature. Mia gasped as her eyes widened. The entire table shifted to look at her in surprise.

Her Patronus stared at her happily and nudged her with its snout. "It's a Lion," Harry said in surprise.

Avery grinned brightly. "No, it's a Lioness."

"I- go to the Prewett twins. Come home for dinner. Molly wants you." The Lioness bowed her head before gracefully sprinting off. "Holy shit."

"When did it change?" Remus asked with a faint smile.

"I'm not sure… In the past couple of days, I guess," Mia said. She reached out and found Sirius's hand easily.

"Sano," Regulus said, amused. "Little Lion was just a nickname."

"Shut it, you," Mia said playfully, though she was still in shock.

"I wonder why it's changed. Maybe just coming back to the future?" Remus offered. Mia shook her head.

"My otter came out a couple of days ago."

"Well, what's happened since then?"

Mia thought back. Not much had happened. She'd spent time with her friends and gone to Diagon Alley to pick some things up. It had been slow, really. But, she thought, she had been doing a lot of thinking. She'd been considering how different things were to when she was in school with Harry and Ron, and how now she had Sirius and Remus and Avery and… she had Regulus. She knew she couldn't leave her Slytherins out. She had to involve them in whatever she did, and she had accepted that. She did realize that that meant there was a shift in… dynamic in her group. She had realized and accepted that the era of the Golden Trio had come to an abrupt end, and then there were now five of them. She'd accepted that. "Oh."

"What is it?" Remus asked gently, touching her arm with his hand.

"I just… things are changing."

"I know, Mia Mine," Sirius said softly.

Mia looked at Harry and Ron sadly. "Things are changing," she repeated. The boys shared a look before Ron nodded a bit.

"I know, Mione. _We_ know. We're okay with it, I think." Her redheaded friend said kindly. She smiled at them before glancing at Regulus and then Avery.

"You're stuck with us," she said, lips twitching into a greater smile.

Avery rolled his eyes. "We both swore fealty to you, Sano. I'd certainly hope you planned on keeping us." The entire table fell silent at that. Sirius and Remus had known, along with Harry and probably Ron by extension, but the rest of the Order did not.

"They swore fealty to you?" Andromeda asked slowly. Mia scowled at the Slytherins but nodded.

"Reg did it in the middle of an argument. Pissed me off. I complained to Avery and Sev, and they did it too, bloody idiots."

"Mia, do you know how serious that is?" Arthur asked quietly.

"Of course I know," Mia rolled her eyes. "That's why I was pissed. I didn't ask them to do it."

"Glad they did it," Moody said. "Trust 'em more now." Mia rolled her eyes.

"Yes, well, it's not a big deal. I didn't ask them to do this and I won't ask them to do anything with the oath."

Moody went to reply but stopped when there was a screech from Molly inside of the house and one of the windows opened up above the garden. Everyone looked up and Mia groaned, seeing the twins. When she saw what they were doing, she quickly disarmed Moody, who was generally shocked about that.

Moments later, there was another scream and a quiet pop and Mia closed her eyes. There was flour flying everywhere, and sticking to anything it touched. She cast an umbrella charm so it wouldn't touch her much and grinned as it fell on everyone else. There was shuffling and people were yelling at the twins, but Tonks cracked up laughing as the brothers then sent water after them. Mia joined her quickly as she watched the flour turn to goop and grinned when she saw her boyfriend pouting in the most un-Slytherin way possible.

"Welcome home prank?" She yelled up. George winked at her before repeating the process, and she laughed happily. Maybe everything could be normal again, even just for a bit.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Come here," Ginny said with a laugh. She grabbed her wand and waved Harry over. He stepped close and smiled at the redhead as she siphoned the goop out of his hair and off his shirt.

"Thanks," he grinned.

"Yep. You didn't try and get out of the way?"

"Nah," he shrugged a bit. "I don't really mind it that much. They were having fun." Ginny nodded and finished Scourgifying the flour and water off Harry. She stayed close and smiled happily, grateful to have some alone time with him. She wasn't blind to not see him avoiding her. "Ginny…"

"Yes?" She replied, looking at him with a faint shimmer of hope.

"I can't," he said with a pained look on his face.

"Why not?" She demanded. "Mia is."

"I'm not her. I'm not… I'm not comfortable putting you in danger like that."

"I'm already in danger, Harry. This is war. I'm a blood traitor."

"Exactly. You don't need more of a reason to be on Voldemort's hit list," he said hotly. He seemed to hate what he was saying, but Ginny didn't care. If he was going to do this, he'd have the bloody balls to do it completely.

"Mia is my best friend, Ron is my brother, and you're my… whatever. I'm already on his damn radar, Harry!"

"I'm not putting you in more danger!" He yelled. "I won't have someone else I love die!" There was a beat of silence before Ginny turned and walked away. She didn't run, she couldn't let him see she was hurt.

She made it all the way to her room before she broke into quiet, burning tears.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **So the flour and water out of a t-shirt canon was a dream I had. It was hilarious. I woke up and told my sister that I had to work it into my fic somehow, and I thought an Order dinner would be best.**

 **Next chapter is going to be heavy on Mia, I think. She's got some work to do before the end of summer.**

 **I will also be explaining why Harry is staying at Grimmauld Place instead of Privet Drive.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!**


	27. Chapter 27

**For anyone that wants to know or are getting a bit restless/impatient - I do have plans on Alice and Frank as well as Severus. Sadly, Mia isn't going to wake Alice and Frank soon, but she's left instructions in her will for both Augustus and Neville in case she dies before she can help them. On the Severus side, it's just not safe. He's got a key role in the war and his memories are safe from Voldemort if they stay the way they are, not to mention she is struggling to accept his actions and her own. She doesn't want to risk him remembering so soon. But I do have a clear plan on when it will happen and how, and ****hint**** it's not in the next few chapters. Sorry! Mia's just too careful to take that sort of a risk. Keep in mind that it was kind of an accident letting Remus and Sirius know so quick. I did hint at that, although not as heavily as I would've liked.** **Sorry!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Twenty Seven**

July 15th, 1997

"Avery, I want you to come, too," Mia said. Avery shrugged as she sorted through old wands that Sirius had offered her.

"Fine with me. The Black library is huge but it doesn't have much on how to destroy a Horcrux aside from Basilisks and Fiendfyre. I'm getting bored."

"Mm," Mia weighed an oak wand in her hand and waved it a bit. It responded well and felt good enough. It wasn't nearly as good as her usual wand, but it would do if she needed it. She closed its empty box and set aside the other wands, looking for a new wand holster for her arm.

She had talked with Sirius and he'd agreed that it would be best if she and everyone going on the Horcrux Hunt have two wands on them. It had been officially decided the day before that Avery and Regulus would come along, so they were forced to pick a second wand as well.

The Black family didn't bury their wands with the dead, believing that they'd come back to life and try to take the House back or some nonsense, so Sirius had offered Mia and Avery the collection of wands to go through – Regulus already had a second and Harry had just gone to his vault to get his dad's, which worked nearly perfectly for him. Ron had gotten two new ones, since he was, unreasonably in Mia's opinion, worried about dark magic in the wands. Mia had convinced him, with a bit of manipulation, to let her buy the wands.

"Great Aunt MacMillan's wand. Oddly good fit," Regulus commented from the door. Mia shrugged a bit and pulled the holster around her wrist, tucking the wand away and covering it with her robes.

"We should go. I want to get there early."

Regulus nodded and Avery stood, discarding the book he'd been reading into a pile of dark books. Mia glanced at it with a frown and threw up a ward around the pile to calm her nerves. She walked silently with her boys out of the house, dodging Sirius and Remus on the way out. She'd decided not to tell them what they were doing until it was done. Better to ask forgiveness and all.

Once they left the wards, they twisted in spot and Apparated to Mia's French house. They shared a look and Mia steeled herself, walking in and heading straight to the study she'd asked the elves to set up for her. It was a beautiful burgundy color with an emerald trim. The desk was a gorgeous antique that came with the house, as was the bookshelf. She chewed her lip while Regulus called an elf for tea and sandwiches. She was determined to make this go right.

Mia sat down behind the desk and her boys immediately placed themselves on either side of her but just a little behind, assuring she was given the air of authority. She sighed and sat back. "I haven't seen them in a while. I know they're good men – better than Crabbe or Goyle, at least – but I don't know if they'll be willing to take this risk."

"You said Draco suggested them," Regulus reminded her gently. "I'm sure they want out if he did."

Avery nodded with a comforting smile. "Death Eaters are basically split into three groups. People who are there of their own free will, people who might've ended up there eventually but were pushed for political reasons like being the heir of an Ancient and Noble house, and people who were threatened or blackmailed into joining."

"And you think it's the second one or the last?" Mia asked, tilting her head.

"Definitely."

"Alright. I guess that makes sense. It also explains why the Light has fewer people on our side – we don't coerce people into joining like that. It honestly seems so stupid to do that. Yes, they've joined, but they're not loyal. Loyalty is… just extremely important in war," Mia said. She just didn't understand Voldemort sometimes. The more she thought about it, the more she thought he was a whiny child that forgot to take a nap.

Her boys straightened and she saw Draco leading his friends into the room. She waved at the chairs and asked them to sit, and they nodded politely. Draco sat in the chair directly across from Mia, crossing his hands in his lap. To his right, Blaise Zabini sat across from Avery, and to his left, Theodore Nott sat across from Regulus.

Mia had asked Draco to not mention Avery or Regulus, so she wasn't surprised to see the boys looking at her in slight confusion and a bit of anger. "I apologize," Mia said. "for not mentioning my boys here. But you must understand, it couldn't get out that they're… here."

"And why is that?" Blaise asked eyebrow raised. Mia resisted the urge to roll her eyes when she realized he probably wanted to do things excruciatingly politically correct.

"Because they're supposed to be dead Death Eaters, of course," Mia bit her lip to keep from smirking when Theo and Blaise allowed some shock to overcome them.

"What do you mean?" Theo asked, tone polite and intrigued.

"This," she waved to Avery. "Is Frederick Avery. Reported dead after an attack on Diagon Alley in January of 1977." Her mouth twitched as she resisted a smile. "My fault."

"And him?" Blaise asked, waving to Regulus. Mia allowed herself a smile now. Death Eaters knew the story of the only Black child to follow Voldemort, and how he'd died mysteriously after falling out of favor with the Dark Lord.

"Regulus Black." The Slytherins she'd spent six years going to school with dropped their act, and she was extremely relieved. She hated doing things politically correct if the ball had taught her anything.

"Excuse me? Granger, he's-,"

"It's not Granger," she said with a smirk. "It's Potter." She watched Theo frown and Blaise scrunched his nose.

"You married Potter?"

"Ew!" She shook her head vigorously and her mouth twisted in distaste. "No! Merlin, he's a bloody brother."

"Sano," Avery interrupted. "Stop toying with them."

Mia pouted a bit but nodded and began to explain. "During Dumbledore's funeral, I was sent back in time-,"

"That's not possible." Blaise interrupted. He seemed to realize his mistake and inclined his head in apology, waiting for her to continue.

"As I was saying, I was sent back in time. I'll spare you the details, but I… gathered some Death Eater friends and… brought them into the Light, for lack of a better term. I gave them immunity within the Order – it is recognized by every Order member, so it's true immunity. They warned me a few times of some raids and things, but mainly I want to help you. I'm aware that you're kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place. You two, during school, never made fun of me. You never called me a mudblood and Theo, you even helped me in Potions a few times.

"I asked Draco for names of people who don't necessarily wish to be a Death Eater and would be willing to help the Light. Honestly, I'm rather glad he picked you two. So I'm going to offer you safety. Oh, and it'll save your reputation after we win the war." Blaise straightened a bit at that idea.

"How did you save them?" Theo asked quietly. Mia knew he'd go for it, and Blaise seemed to be leaning toward accepting. She glanced at Regulus and he saw her hesitation toward telling them that she'd created a powerful new means of time travel to save a few people from war.

"By a means no longer accessible," he said smoothly. He smiled down at Mia and she nodded her thanks before looking back at the boys opposite her.

"I'm trusting you two quite a bit right now," Mia said quietly. "I really want to be able to… to save you." Blaise's eyes flashed but he calmed quickly at the honesty written over her face. Theo gave her a smile and nodded.

"I'm in." So, of course, Blaise was too. The boy nodded curtly to agree and Mia grinned, looking back to Regulus.

"This is the fun part." She winked at her boyfriend.

"You enjoy this entirely too much," Regulus muttered in a playfully grumpy tone.

"Strip!" She said, and Draco reacted for the first time with a small snort. She eyed him. "What?"

"He's right. You do enjoy that too much, Potter."

"It's my job!" She defended. "I'm the one that has to do it. It's tied to my magical signature along with the recipient's."

"Er- right, I meant to ask. Why is your name Potter, then?" Blaise raised an eyebrow as she waved just for him to just remove his shirt and he complied as she explained.

"Dumbledore asked the Potters to take me in as their ward. After a while, they adopted me magically, as well. When I got there, I, uh, panicked and told Jamie- er, James Potter, that my name was Mia. So I'm Mia Potter, not Hermione Granger. We're kinda two different people now. I am legally Mia, too. Sirius did all the paperwork and made the records classified." Blaise had his shirt off by now, but Theo hadn't moved an inch. Mia frowned and bit her lip. "Why?"

Draco responded before Theo could, earning himself a glare. "His father is an asshole."

"Oh," Mia said, understanding immediately. She suddenly had a guess as to why Theo had joined Voldemort's ranks. "We can do yours alone if you like." The black-haired man seemed to consider this for a moment before Draco just nodded in agreement. "Great. Let's get started."

She pulled her wand out and trained it on Blaise, muttering the incantation and then drawing the paw print. It settled into his skin and Mia let out a satisfied sigh. "Alright, now that's settled, is there anything else we need to talk about?"

"There's a raid a week from today in Hogsmeade," Draco shrugged. "That's all I know."

"Yaxley will be there along with Dolohov," Theo added, and Mia went pale, her body going cold and the breath sucked out of her. She hadn't even considered him being here as well.

"Oh."

"Mia, he's not going anywhere near you. You'll stay home," Regulus said soothingly, touching her arm. She gave an empty smile to the boys in front of her, still pale. "We won't leave your side, love."

"Thank you for the information. I'll pass it on. Theo, we need to take care of yours, and then you can all leave."

Blaise nodded and left the room, Draco following after shooting Mia a look she thought was nearly concern. She sighed shortly and looked to Avery and Regulus. "You, too. I promised everyone would be out, so everyone will be out."

"Sano, we won't leave-," Avery started.

"Yes, you will." Mia interrupted, her voice oddly dark. "I intend to keep my word, Avery. We'll be out in a few minutes. You can stay by the door and guard it if you're so worried."

Avery glared at her, but Regulus just looked worried and somewhat sad, probably remembering her attack and the panic attack from the night in the Room. Her boyfriend grabbed the other man and pulled him out of the room, closing the door with a soft click.

Mia swallowed thickly and took a breath before turning to a silent Theo. "Don't worry. I won't mention anything I see. I've… I saw Sirius after… I know how to keep some things to myself."

"Why are you scared?" He asked quietly, nearly whispering.

"I'm not-," she started defensively, but he cut her off.

"Yes, you are. What happened? Maybe I can keep a track on someone in particular," he offered, and she gave him a weak, sad smile.

"Dolohov has a certain… obsession, for lack of a better word, with me. He just… we don't have a great history," she mumbled. She didn't want to get more upset by trying to give details.

"He's disgusting," Theo muttered, hate on the edge of his tone. "It's why Lord Voldemort likes him so much."

"He was awful before he was a bloody Death Eater, Theo." Mia took a breath before managing a weak smile. "Now, we should get this done with. My boys aren't very patient."

Theo sighed nervously and tore his shirt off. Mia suppressed a gasp at the scars on his chest and refused to think about what could be on his back. She drew her wand again and spoke the incantation a bit louder now, trying to keep her mind away from the pain. When she finished it, she drew the paw print over a particularly nasty scar and watched it settle in. She holstered her wand as he put his shirt back on and grabbed his arm before he could leave.

"The… the House of Black and the House of Potter will offer you sanctuary if you need it, Theo." She just hoped he wouldn't be too prideful to use it.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Mia, I'd just like to point out that you're not an official Order member," Kingsley said, amused. Mia just shrugged and waved him to sit down. They were in the dining room of Grimmauld Place and Mia had called an Order meeting for that night. She chewed her lip anxiously as she waited for everyone to sit.

"I'm an honorary member." She said.

"Says who?" Moody asked gruffly.

"Me, I suppose," she grinned cheekily. "But I am seventeen, so technically I could be a member now."

"We'll discuss it," Kingsley said. "I assume that isn't why you called us here?"

Mia sighed, her grin slipping until it was a ghost of a smile. "Yaxley and… and Dolohov will be leading a raid on Hogsmeade a week from today." Tonks shared a look with her partner before walking over to the younger girl and standing close in support. Sirius and Remus were sitting at the table in front of her, but she'd already filled them in, and Sirius was currently giving her the silent treatment while Remus had just explained how reckless she was being.

"How do you know this?" Tonks asked offering a kind smile.

"I have resources," Mia said vaguely. She heard Sirius snort and had the urge to thwack the back of his head but resisted. She was trying to show them she was an adult, and that wouldn't help. She saw the three aurors share a look and sighed. "I can't say, but they're trustworthy."

"We trust you," Tonks said after a moment. "And we definitely appreciate the tip."

"Anytime," Mia nodded. The Order members shared a look before Kingsley gave her a smile.

"Mia, we were going to ask you and your friends to join the Order at the next meeting, anyway. Would you like to?" He asked, and Mia blinked. She'd not been expecting that at all. She looked around the room as she pushed through her hesitation and nodded.

"I'd love to," Mia said. Kingsley stood and walked over to her.

"It's a pretty quick process. Just a vow to the Light and a small rune on your wrist," he said. She nodded and he got to work. The vow was quick and to the point: promising to lend your life to the Light, giving your wand to the war, promising to always stay faithful to the Light and never betraying the Order and just generally promising to live by the standards of the Light. When he was done, he pressed his wand to her wrist and a small rune appeared, fading into black on her skin like her paw print did on her Slytherins.

There was a round of congratulations around the room, though Remus and Sirius didn't look very happy about her joining. Kingsley put his wand away before looking Mia up and down. "Now, since it was your lead, would you like to head the team in Hogsmeade?"

"No!" Remus and Sirius both snapped at Kingsley.

"I know you're protective of her, but she can hold her own-," Tonks started gently, but Remus growled at her, shocking everyone in the room.

"She will not be going, understand? Not this time," Remus snarled, looking around the room and daring anyone to disagree.

"Remus, I appreciate your worry, but… I can handle myself. He probably doesn't remember me," the lie made Mia feel a little sick, and it didn't go unnoticed by Sirius.

"You had a fucking panic attack, Mia! When you found out it was him that attacked Mary, we spent two days calming you down!" Sirius snapped. His eyes were filled with worry and anxiety. "He knew who you were at the DOM! I doubt he suddenly forgot!"

"I'll be fine-," She started, but Moody interrupted her.

"What the hell are you three talking about?!"

And so Sirius and Remus explained Dolohov and Mia's previous exchanges, and Sirius told them of the day Remus called him into the Room to calm her, but she interrupted.

"He wasn't what upset me, Sirius," she said with a thick, quiet voice. "It was seeing you die again." She turned to the aurors and set her jaw. "I can do this. Like you said, it was my tip. I'll head for Yaxley and avoid Dolohov. Hell, I'll put on a glamour if you want. But I am going."

The Order members present shared a look before Moody bowed his head in agreement. Mia gave a soft huff as she sat down, refusing to look at Remus or Sirius. She knew they meant well, but they'd just exposed a weak part of her to three other people, and she was pissed.

The meeting ended soon after they'd agreed on who else was to go – Fabian, Gideon, Remus, and Tonks – and Mia left the room first, stomping up the stairs into the room which held a pair of injured Prewett twins. They'd stumbled into a few dark artifacts while clearing out the basement of Potter Manor while Bill was at work.

Mia huffed her way over and sunk into a chair, throwing her head back and closing her eyes.

"Mia?" Fabian said, worried. Mia raised her wrist and he moved closer before spotting the Order symbol. He made a noise of acknowledgment that sounded slightly disapproving but didn't comment.

"You two are going to help me stop a raid along with Remus and Tonks next week," she mumbled grumpily.

"And the problem is?" Gideon asked. "I thought you'd be excited, pip."

"Sirius and Remus threw a damn fit because Yaxley and Dolohov are holding the raid," she explained, wincing when Fabian straightened.

"Why the hell are you going?!"

"Because it was _my_ tip and I can help!" She responded heatedly. "I can't be afraid of him forever!"

"But there are other people that can go, Mia. You don't have to do this," Fabian argued with a frown, sitting next to her. She set her head on his shoulder and heaved a sigh.

"Yes, I do."

"Are you going to tell Regulus?" Gideon asked, raising an eyebrow. Mia snorted and rolled her eyes.

"No. He'd lock me up in my room and have Avery help him stand guard. I'll tell him when I get back." Mia shrugged. Her boyfriend was a tad protective, and she was very aware of that fact. Gideon and Fabian shared a look before Fabian kissed her head and relaxed.

"You're gonna be the death of us all."

"No," Mia said seriously. "I'm going to _save_ you all."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Er- yeah. So here's this chapter. It was a little slow going, so excuse me for any mistakes. Sigh.

I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!

IMPORTANT NEWS: I've officially decided that this will be a two-part fic. Part one will stop at the end of the war, and part two will pick up right after. I apologize to anyone looking for Fred/Hermione because it won't be coming until part two. I've got some plans set up with my beta.


	28. Chapter 28

**Okay, so I forgot to explain why Harry was at Grimmauld Place instead of Privet Drive. Whoops. I'll be doing that this chapter, though.**

 **Side note: this chapter got a bit darker than it was meant to, and I'm still kinda debating how dark to let it go.**

 **Side note to the side note: fucking hell, that was darker.**

 **TRIGGER WARNING: ABUSE, PANIC ATTACKS, AND VAGUE MENTION OF RAPE, THOUGH IT ISN'T SPECIFIED. PLEASE BE CAREFUL.**

 **(The panic attack especially is in detail, based on my extreme panic attacks, though I went with a not able to think one because over thinking is what led him to the attack.)**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Twenty Eight**

July 22nd, 1997

Remus was having a generally bad day. The full moon had been two days ago, and he still felt sick. Tonks had been fussing over him all morning, and he'd snapped at her. She didn't react, but he could feel the disappointment coming off of her. On top of that, Mia had refused to talk to anyone about the raid that day, and she'd put extreme locking charms on her room to keep people out. He knew she was nervous and a bit scared, but she wouldn't let him help, and the fact that part of his pack was suffering made the wolf restless and anxious.

He was currently standing between Mia and Tonks outside Grimmauld Place, waiting for Moody to come give them the all clear. Fabian was on Mia's other side with a comforting arm around her – which annoyed Moony and Remus both to no end – and Gideon on his other side. Fabian was muttering to Mia to distract her, and it seemed to be working if her soft laugh said anything, but she was still biting her lip and tense with anxiety rolling off of her in waves. She wouldn't be okay until this was over, that much Remus was sure of.

Moody stomped out of the house and waved at them with his cane, and the twins nodded back. It was time to go. The twins each grabbed one of Mia's arms and the three Apparated to their stop – Honeydukes. Remus grabbed Tonks's hand and Apparated before she could say anything, sending them to Tomes and Scrolls, the bookstore in the village.

They appeared with a small pop and Remus sucked in a breath. He'd offered to take the bookstore because Mia looked like she was going to be sick at the idea of going back there, a fact which made Remus extremely sad itself. Tonks gave him a wink but stayed quiet as they had planned. They separated but stayed near the front of the store where they could see the windows.

It didn't take very long before they heard a scream and Remus had sprinted out of the store, Tonks on his heels. When they got out, Remus took in the sight with unease. Yaxley was levitating someone – a shop owner, Remus realized – in the air while another Death Eater threw stinging hexes at the woman in the air and anyone near. People were fleeing back into buildings, and Remus didn't blame them. The Death Eaters hadn't bothered wearing masks, and he realized with a start how corrupt the ministry must be if they were so cocky during a planned attack.

"Remus," Tonks said in a dark voice. "If Yaxley is here…"

Dolohov.

Remus nodded at Tonks. They had to be quick. He would've left, but he refused to leave his mate in danger. "Yaxley!" The Death Eater looked over and dropped the _levicorpus_ , releasing the shop owner. He lazily threw a hex at Remus that Remus easily dodged, throwing his own hex back. He was extremely aware of Tonks engaging in battle with the other Death Eater, but he couldn't do anything.

He threw curse after curse, shield after shield and did it all silently. The only noises were grunts from them dodging each other and spells hitting buildings and the sidewalk and very occasionally, their intended target. He was exhausted by the time one of his many _stupefy_ 's hit Yaxley. He looked frantically at Tonks and saw her partner do the same to her before grabbing Yaxley and apparating away. Remus rushed to his wife's side and healed her quickly.

" _Rennervate_!" He muttered, waking her up. She glanced up at him, confused, before smirking.

"My knight in shining armor," she whispered. He chuckled lowly as his wolf relaxed slightly, content with her condition. She leaned up and kissed him soundly, and he let himself be distracted for a few moments before he staggered back from the kiss.

"Mia!" He whispered in a pained voice. They both shot up and ran quickly, but they stayed close enough together to touch and feel that the other was okay. It wasn't long before they got to the sweets shop and Remus stopped, feeling like he'd been punched in the gut. Fabian and Gideon were both unconscious on the ground and rather bloody. Remus looked around frantically, running into the building and the ones around, and he was hysterical by the time he reached Tonks again, shaking his head darkly.

Mia was nowhere to be seen.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"I don't want to go back this summer," Harry muttered. Sirius glanced up from his desk to see his godson sitting next to him. He'd been so worried that he hadn't even noticed. He cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"To the Dursley's, I mean."

"You won't be," Sirius said with a sigh. He'd completely forgotten to talk to Harry about this. "I moved them to a safe house. The wards are broken."

"So… so I can stay here?" Harry asked hopefully. Sirius smirked a little.

"For as long as you like. I know Mia was working on getting the Manor – Potter Manor, that is – back to living conditions, and the elves are helping her along with the twins. But you're completely welcome here, pup."

"Thank Merlin-,"

"Sirius!" Remus screamed desperately, running into the house. Sirius froze, his blood running cold. He scrambled out of his chair and sprinted to the front door, grabbing Remus by his shoulders when he got there, Remus doing the same. They seemed to steady each other, and neither noticed as Tonks ran in after her husband or Harry following Sirius.

"Fuck, Padfoot-," Remus started.

"No…" Sirius said, paling.

"Yaxley and another engaged Dora and I, and by the time we got there…"

"Is she…?" Dead.

"No. Well, I don't know. She was nowhere. He- he took her, Padfoot, I know he did." Remus said. Tonks guided the werewolf to the bottom of the stairs and made him sit, and Harry caught Sirius as the man fell into a shock-like state, unable to hold himself up.

"Sirius? Remus? What… what happened?" Harry asked cautiously as he looked between the pair, feeling helpless.

"It's Mia," Tonks said, her hair a mousy brown and eyes matching as she forced herself to accept what had happened. "She went with us to stop a raid. Dolohov met her instead of us, and it looks like… like he's taken her." She paused as Harry paled drastically before continuing. "He apparently has some fascination with her, and… we've got to find her."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"EVERYBODY SHUT UP!" Moody yelled over the screaming in the room. Regulus and Avery were both silent, pale, and very, very angry – with Mia as well as the others that hadn't protected her, not to mention Dolohov. Everyone was doing the smart thing and avoiding them. Fabian and Gideon were sitting next to Molly – after yelling, actually yelling, at her to stop fussing over them and focus on their missing sister, a sentence that shut the woman up immediately. Harry was with Ron and Ginny. Ginny looked pissed off and was glaring heavily at Mia's boyfriend who avoided her gaze and pushed away the feeling of failure that tried to sneak up on him. Harry and Ron were silent and pale, matching Remus who looked like he was going to be sick.

The entire room fell silent for a few beats before Sirius let out a painful, choked scream and held his wrist to his chest. Everyone's heads shot his way before Regulus and Avery groaned in unison and clutched their chests tightly, Regulus digging at his robes and pulling them off. Sirius pushed his sleeve up while grinding his teeth.

Sirius's wrist was glowing a dark blue and looked to be slowly burning into him painfully. His eyes widened drastically.

Regulus and Avery's chests were glowing golden on their paw print and it looked to be burning them too, though a bit less painfully.

Remus was the first one to connect the dots and he let out a sob as his wolf cried out in agony. "She's dying."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Severus doubled over as he felt an odd pain on his chest. He looked around his empty rooms for some attacker and found none, so he pulled his robes off and went to the bathroom, standing in front of the mirror. He suppressed a gasp when his eyes fell over the paw print on his chest that hadn't been there that morning. His head throbbed in momentary pain and he gripped it tightly as a memory slid through his mind unevenly, like it wasn't supposed to be there.

" _I'm placing the spell on the mark as well, Sev. You can't know it's there," a girl said with a sad smile and tears in her eyes. He knew her… he knew her twice._

" _Don't cry, Sano. We will see each other again, yes?" He replied softly, reaching out to wipe some tears away._

" _I- yes. But that is another lifetime away. That is… many difficulties away, many deaths away," she replied, apparently unable to look at him anymore. He sighed and pulled her into a hug._

" _Are we enemies in your time?" He asked, trying to sound like he didn't care. She winced slightly, and he shut his eyes tightly._

" _Not anymore," she promised. "I'll make sure everyone knows that you're a good man." She squeezed him tightly around the waist. "You're one of my best friends, Sev, and I'll save you."_

 _He kissed the top of her head before pulling back and giving her a tight smile. "I trust you, Sano. Just remember to take care of yourself."_

" _I've got more important things to do, Sev. I've gotta save the entire Wizarding World, remember?"_

"Mia," he breathed. He was snapped out of the memory when he glanced at the glowing mark again and dread set in. He remembered her. He remembered Mia and she was dying.

Mia was dying and he couldn't do anything.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Hold still," Moody snapped. Sirius huffed but tried to hold himself still, trying to resist the urge to cradle his burning wrist to his chest. Moody sliced his palm and Sirius didn't even react; it was a welcome distraction to the constant reminder that Mia was… not okay.

Blood dripped from his hand and he squeezed until his old boss pulled the bowl away and Remus – the only person Sirius wasn't flinching away from – healed his hand. The men sat together in the front of the room as Moody started the spell. It took five extremely restless minutes before Moody dropped a bit of the blood on a map, and it rolled over to London. He waved his wand and the map became one of London. He dropped another bit of blood down, and it lead him to a small street on the east side. He looked up triumphantly.

"Well, we've either found Potter or we've found a distant relative of Black's," he said gruffly, gathering his wand and waving it at the maps and blood, sending them both away. He turned to the group and frowned. "Potter, Black, Lupin, Black, and… Andromeda. Come on."

There were slight protests, but Avery growled. "I am coming with. I swore my magic to her. I will be there." Moody regarded him before pointing at Remus.

"You watch him." And they set off. They Apparated in pairs, Remus with Avery, Sirius with Regulus, and Harry with Andromeda.

They appeared in front of an old Victorian House, and they could feel the magic rolling off the building in waves. Remus frowned deeply and pulled out his wand, sending a Patronus and asking Bill to come help with a short explanation of why. He appeared within seconds and set to work silently, looking grim. It took him nearly half an hour before he waved them on, and everyone was extremely glad.

Regulus, Sirius, Harry, and Bill went around to the back and everyone else stayed at the front, Moody and Tonks leading the way. They entered the house and Remus was assaulted with the stench of a lot of blood. He blanched but followed the smell, leading them up the stairs with their wands raised. Remus used his magic to open the door, not wanting to risk any leftover wards being set off.

He looked inside the room and saw a girl, no more than eighteen, dead on the floor. His stomach did an uncomfortable set of flips and he waved for someone to take care of it. He went to the next room and frowned when it was empty, though it looked lived in. He realized it was likely Dolohov's room and took a deep, uncomfortable breath. He led them to the last room and waved his wand silently at the door, opening it. His wolf howled in anger and anguish at the sight in front of him.

Mia was on the floor, unconscious, and bleeding. Her clothes were messy and crumpled, and he winced, not wanting to think about that. She had a large, bleeding gash on her stomach that he guessed had come from some dark curse. Her head was bleeding and he realized that he must've smashed it against the wall like he'd done in school.

Her arms were bleeding too, and Remus realized she had small cuts all along her body, probably from countless slicing hexes. Her hair was tangled and matted with blood, and her eyes were red and raw, but closed.

Remus cried out, allowing the wolf control as Mia – his Mia, his pack! – lay broken on the floor, dying. Avery rushed to her and pulled her into his lap, muttering comforting words along with healing spells. Remus stood numbly in the doorway as Andromeda and Moody followed behind, helping to heal her. His wolf was as broken as he was, watching his best friend hurt. He stayed there for longer than he realized until he felt a hand on his shoulder and whirled around, screaming and disarming the person behind him.

"Bloody hell," Sirius said, staring at Remus. "it's me, Moony. Did you-," he cut off when he looked past his friend to see his sister broken on the floor. "Fuck…"

Regulus looked past him and pushed them both out of the way, pulling his girlfriend into his arms and cradling her unconscious form. He heard someone say something, and then Harry, Sirius, and Bill were there, too. He felt sick, but he couldn't get himself to move, couldn't get himself to listen to the agony in his friend's voices as they tried to save Mia.

And then he froze. He smelled something… something familiar, but not friendly. "Dolohov," he whispered, hatred stinging his words. He whirled around and ran out of the room, wand out and eyes sharp. He silenced himself and ran down the stairs and he was faced with the horrid man that had hurt his best friend, his pack, so much. He snarled, removing the silencing charm and spat a stinging hex that caught the man off guard. It hit his back hard, and the wolf howled his approval and begged Remus to continue, and who was he to say no?

He threw curse after curse at Dolohov, who had fallen unconscious with the impact of the first hex. He sliced and burned and stung and just caused as much pain as he could until Moody found him and put him in a full body bind. Remus felt the wolf growl and couldn't help but agree.

"You're killing him, boy!"

 _Good._

"Not good!" Moody snarled, seeing Remus's currently amber eyes flicker with pure hatred. "We can use him. We need all the information we can get!"

And then Remus blacked out.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"There's… a lot of damage," Madame Pomfrey said, her voice shaky and tears in her eyes. "He's a despicable man, to do this to a person."

"What all happened?" Fabian asked reluctantly. He didn't want to know. He had horrible guesses, but he didn't want any of them confirmed. He'd been elected to go check on Mia and Pomfrey as only one person was allowed in at a time while she was running her diagnostic spells.

"He… he hit her with a good many curses, most of them dark," the witch started shakily. Fabian made a mental note to have Gideon get her tea when he left. "She's going to have many scars, I'm afraid. There's just not much I can do. I don't know how well I can heal some of them, either. Aside from that…" she trailed off, looking at him with pure sadness. "He's dug through her head and done some damage there. She might have mild memory loss for a few weeks. And…"

"Yes?" Fabian asked shakily. He felt awful.

"He's… taken advantage," the witch said, her voice a horrified whisper. Fabian felt his blood go cold and he grabbed the trash can, emptying his stomach. This was _all his fault_. He nodded briskly and left the room as quick as he could, shoving Gideon away when his twin went to comfort him. He found himself in the kitchen where the Order was waiting for him and glared at them as he spoke.

"Kill him. Right now, cut his _fucking_ head off," he snapped. He felt his breathing quicken as the immediate explanations of why they couldn't turned to fearful questions of why they should. He pulled a vile from his pocket and hastily removed the memory, placing in the vile and throwing it at Moody before stalking out of the room. He felt the walls closing in on him in the hall and the lights flicker as he scratched his legs, feeling a thousand pinpricks on his skin. He paced the hallway, pushing his hair away anxiously and then scratching his legs again. He was biting his lip hard and couldn't manage to hear whoever was talking to him. He shook his hands and paced, paced for the hope of this feeling to disappear. He muttered to himself, though he hadn't even realized it, and could vaguely feel himself getting lightheaded as his breathing quickened with each obscure racing thought. He wasn't even sure why he was feeling like this, but he knew he was stuck in a loop that was impossible to get out of.

He didn't stop until Gideon stunned him, eyes wide with fear and worry for his brother. The skin on his legs was raw – he'd been wearing pajamas that couldn't stand up to consistent scratching – and he'd bitten through a bit of his lip. His hair was pushed back crazily and his breathing was evening out slowly as his stunned state forced his body to relax.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Mia shot up in bed, blinking rapidly. It took her a few seconds, but she felt a hand on her, one slightly smaller than her own. She winced away from it and looked up, only to blink rapidly again, more confused than before.

"Hello, Mia," A girl said, shoving her bushy hair out of the way and smiling sadly.

"Am I dead?" Mia asked with a frown. She didn't think she'd fucked up that bad.

"Not yet. They might yet save you. You're in a coma right now," she said with a sad sigh. "You were hurt very badly."

"Are you… me?" Mia asked, ignoring her words. The girl tilted her head, considering this for a moment before shaking her head.

"No, I don't think so. I'm Hermione Granger. I'm your past, in a way. You've just moved on from me." Mia looked over the girl. She had bushy brown hair and chocolate brown eyes with buck teeth and Hogwarts robes and Gryffindor tie topped off with a book from the library on dark curses.

"What are you doing here?" Mia paused before adding, "What am I doing here?"

"Do you want to leave?" Hermione asked, eyebrow raised. Mia shook her head hesitantly. "Exactly. You've gone through an extreme trauma that was entirely your fault," Mia opened her mouth to argue, but Hermione waved her off. "It was. You knew who was going to be there and you still went because of your pride."

"I wanted to get over the fear," Mia said, ashamed.

"I know. But you're here because you're dying, but not yet dead. I'm dying, too. I've got an option for you." Hermione said. Mia sighed tiredly and waved her on. "You see, I'm your magic. I'm your magical core. You could use me, deplete me, to heal your body and mind. The problem is, I'm extremely powerful, possibly as powerful as Harry's is."

"Oh," Mia said, slightly amazed but mostly confused. Hadn't the girl just said she was Hermione?

"Yes," Hermione nodded gravely. "And you know what happens when a powerful witch or wizard loses their magic."

"They die."

"Sometimes. So, you could use me to heal your body and hope for the best and become a squib, or you could leave it be and hope your friends can heal your wounds and mind."

"I'm going to die," Mia said miserably. "But I don't want to leave."

"That's why you're in a coma, Mia. That's another option. Decide to wake up, and they might be able to save you. Me being here distracts me from replenishing my strength, you know. I could help more if I could rest," Hermione said with a large sigh. She sat down on the bed next to Mia. "I know he did awful things to you, but you'll live. Chances are, your friends will kill him. I know Remus's wolf was driven nearly mad with grief."

"I thought I wasn't dead." Mia frowned.

"No," Hermione agreed with a shrug. "But Moony saw you dying and… that was that."

"Regulus," Mia's eyes widened. "Merlin, I can't stay in a coma with Regulus waiting…"

"So go," Hermione urged. "Go and heal. I'll always help you, Mia. I always have."

And so Mia agreed.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

July 25th, 1997

"She's alive," Sirius said. Regulus was lying in his room, staring at the wall. "She's stable."

"Finally," Regulus breathed.

"She'll recover," his words were tight like he barely believed himself. Regulus turned to look at his brother.

"No, she won't," he whispered. Sirius didn't even try to argue. They both knew it would be hard for her to come back from this. Sirius moved across the room with a tired grace and sat next to his little brother.

"She has some memory loss," he muttered. They'd told Regulus some of her injuries, but he had stormed out of the room to sit at her bed when they explained how Dolohov had used her so cruelly, and Sirius suspected he'd cried in there since the room wasn't destroyed. "We don't know the extent of it, but Poppy says it should clear up on its own in a month or two."

"Will she remember… it?" Sirius winced at the question.

"We don't know. We won't know until she wakes up."

"I don't want her to remember."

"No one does."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

July 29th, 1997

"What've you told Molly?" Tonks asked softly as she walked in the room. Sirius was sitting next to Mia's bed with Moony, who was more wolf than man at the moment.

"I told her that Mia's recovering and in a coma. Nothing else," Sirius's voice was firm. Tonks knew he didn't want to share the details with anyone, and she'd only gotten them from Fabian after his panic attack when Gideon had gone to inform everyone they were heading back to Prewett Manor for the night. Tonks nodded at her cousin and sat next to Moony, and he pulled her close and nuzzled her neck, pulling strength from his mate. She rubbed his back lovingly as she spoke.

"How's she healing? Those wounds are going to take a while, I know." She'd gotten her own fair few dark curses flung at her and knew how long and painful recovery could be.

"She's… fuck, Tonks, it's just not good," Sirius said, rubbing his face with his hands. "Poppy said she must be resisting the healing her magic is offering. She… she said she's seen it before in trauma patients who just didn't want to wake up," his voice cracked and he trailed off.

"She'll wake up," Tonks said quietly. "She's too loyal to leave us."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

August 1st, 1997

"What's going on? I can't hear."

"Get off my foot and I'll tell you."

"I'm not on your foot."

"Whoops, that's me. Sorry, Gin."

"Shut up! They're talking."

"…tell us who else was on the raid?" A voice asked.

"I'd rather die," another spat back.

"Gladly," someone snarled. Harry knew immediately it was Moony.

"No! I will kick you out if you don't behave, Lupin" the angry voice replied, and Harry recognized Moody. "Arthur, should we get the Veritiserum?"

"Gideon should be here soon with some that was specially brewed," Arthur replied, all cheer missing from his voice.

"Get off my foot!" Ginny whispered harshly. Ron glared at her but stepped back a bit, and everyone had to shift to make room for him.

"Shut up! We're missing-," Harry paused when he heard Moony yelling.

" _Avada_ -," the wolf started.

" _Stupefy_!" Moody yelled in frustration. There was a soft thud as the man hit the floor and the teens stared at each other.

"Did he just…?" Ginny asked slowly. No one answered. They didn't need to. Moony had just tried to murder someone, and none of them felt particularly bad about it.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

August 3rd, 1997

Severus pulled his robes back on and closed the bathroom door, walking back to his desk. The mark on his chest was getting lighter and his memories were fuzzy once again. He sighed in frustration. He wished so badly that he could just write it all down and continue to remember, but he had faith in her. He knew she would bring him back when the time was right, and it was definitely not right when she was healing.

He shoved his hair away from his face in frustration. For years, he thought that Lily Evans, his best friend, had died and he'd betrayed his only friend. Now he knew that he had more than her. He had Regulus and Avery and most importantly, he had Mia. He knew that his life had been more than a bitter fight over Lily Potter and the Death Eaters, and he knew that Mia Potter was so much good.

But Severus knew he had to forget, so he didn't try and stop the memories from slowly drifting out of his mind.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

August 6th, 1997

She awoke feeling like she really had died. She wasn't sure where she was, but she guessed it was Grimmauld Place. She opened her eyes and winced as she tried to move. Her limbs felt like they were filled with lead, and her head felt like it had been shattered and put back together in the wrong order.

"Mia!" She heard a voice breathe. Her vision was blurry as she attempted to sit up, but she felt arms around her and winced away, falling back into the bed. Panic rose in her gut and she bit her lip hard, blinking rapidly until she could see Fabian's face tight with anger and sadness, and her heart swelled.

"I thought… you two were dead…" she managed to mutter, though her voice felt raw as if she'd been screaming.

"No," he assured her quietly. "Just stunned. We thought you were… well, they… you nearly died."

"So I hear," she said with a huff. She felt awful, and she wasn't sure her magic was doing anything. Fabian frowned at her and she shrugged. "Never mind."

"Are you… I'm sorry, Mia," he said, closing his eyes tightly. "We should've done more."

"It wasn't your fault. I asked to go," she said shortly, wondering if she could just go back to sleep. "Is… Remus and Moony aren't okay, are they?"

Fabian shook his head shortly and stood. "I'll get him… er, them." Mia nodded a little and tried to relax. She felt a rush of warmth through her head and felt it clear a little, and she thanked her magic silently. It seemed to almost hug her in response.

"Mia," Remus breathed sadly from the door. She waved him over and he sat obediently, his eyes still a brilliant amber.

"Moony, Remus, I'm okay."

"No, you're not," he said gruffly, and Mia realized she was literally talking to the wolf instead of the man. "You're injured. You almost died."

"And I will heal. My magic is helping me. She's the reason I came back… well, she told me you were hurting, Moony. I couldn't allow that." The wolf seemed shocked at being addressed so directly, but he shoved it aside and bowed his head. She knew he was asking permission to touch her, and she nodded hesitantly. He moved closer and just gently nuzzled her neck, soaking in the fact that she was fine.

They stayed like that for a half hour until she couldn't resist the sleep trying to claim her. She slipped into a fitful state, and Moony stayed by her side, determined to protect his pack this time. He'd already lost three members, and he wasn't going to allow her to leave him as well.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Shit. Just. Shit.**

 **This was a lot and I'm emotionally exhausted, so I'll be going to bed.**

 **Did you guys enjoy some more Moony bits? I definitely liked writing them.**

 **I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!**


	29. Chapter 29

**I really want to thank you guys for your positive reactions to the last chapter. You have no idea how nervous I was about posting it and taking this fic there, so thank you guys that reviewed and stuff. It made my day, honestly.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **P.S. I have a serious respect and love for Amelia Bones, so she isn't freaking dead in this. She just never died here cause. Yeah.**

 **Chapter Twenty Nine**

August 7th, 1997

"I just need to do another diagnostic spell and then I'll leave you alone, dear," Madame Pomfrey said as she waved her wand over Mia. The girl was sitting in a huge armchair with her legs against her chest. She'd been up all day and had refused to speak to anyone. She waited for the witch to finish her spells and leave the room before relaxing. She put her wand down on the table next to her. She'd been holding it tightly and hiding it as she had her checkup.

Mia chewed on her lip and closed her eyes, rolling her head back. She was exhausted and she hadn't even done anything.

"You're not going to get better like this, Mia," her head shot up and she pointed her wand at the voice, and just frowned.

"Hermione?"

"I told you I'd help you heal, but I can't do that when you're refusing to let anyone else help heal you. Why won't you let your friends in the room?" She asked, eyes sad.

"I- I don't want them to see me… like this," she said with a tired voice. She didn't want to see their pity, either.

"They're terrified," Hermione said with a sigh. She pulled a chair over and sat across from Mia, grabbing her wand from the girl. "They just need proof that you're okay. You're strong, Mia. Be strong and show them that you're okay and that you're healing. Let me heal you."

There was a knock on the door and Mia hesitated. She pushed down the urge to send them away. "Come in," she called, chewing her lip. She waited for Hermione to disappear but she didn't. The girl just set Mia's wand on the table and turned to the door to watch as one of the twins walked in the room with tea.

"How're you feeling?" He asked, handing the warm mug over. She breathed in the comforting scent and watched him critically, quickly realizing that he couldn't see Hermione.

"Better," she lied. "Just tired and a bit confused."

"Well, I hear that'll get better soon. Apparently your dark wounds are reacting better than expected," the twin said. Mia cast a panicked glance at Hermione, and the girl smiled.

"Fred," Hermione said quietly. Mia managed a thankful smile and turned it on Fred.

"That's good," she replied. She was getting dizzy and she took a sip of the tea, relaxing as it warmed her body. They sat in silence for a few beats before Fred cut to the chase.

"Why did you go?" Mia froze and took in a sharp breath before looking at him sadly.

"Because I couldn't fear him. It was a weakness I can't afford in this war. My source said it would just be Yaxley and him, but something must've changed in that week," Mia said. She decided she would have to talk to them and make sure they knew it wasn't their fault. Even if they acted like they didn't care, no one wanted to be the cause of something… like that. Fred stared at her for a while, as if he were trying to come up with an argument and found none.

"I wish you'd told us," he said, shaking his head. "We could've been there to-,"

"To do nothing," she interrupted calmly. "Fabian and Gideon nearly died fifteen years ago but they didn't go out until they were cornered by five Death Eaters. They got lucky that day but we did not get lucky this time. Besides, you wouldn't have been allowed to go unless you were official Order, and you're not."

She watched as Fred raised his wrist and she flinched slightly at the mark of the Order. "George, Harry, Ron, and I were brought in a week ago officially. Ginny's pissed because she's not allowed yet."

"It's too dangerous," Mia muttered. She had hoped that they wouldn't let everyone else in, but logically she knew they needed as many soldiers as they could get.

"It's no more dangerous for us than it is for you," Fred replied with a frown. "Why haven't you let anyone in today?"

"I've been tired," she shrugged.

"Don't lie to him," Hermione warned. Mia glanced at her with a questioning frown. "He loves you. He wants you better and he would never pity you. Does it look like he pities you?" Mia looked back at Fred and realized Hermione was right. Fred looked at her with love and concern, but she knew there was no pity there at all.

"I don't want to worry you guys," she corrected slowly. "And I refuse to let anyone pity me."

"I'm not-,"

"I know. Why do you think you're in here?" She replied, and he smiled just a little. His smile made her relax more than tea or sleep ever could.

"What about Regulus or Sirius?" He asked curiously. She hummed a little before shrugging.

"Let's say a little bird told me to let you guys in," she offered. "And I just listened recently."

Fred watched her carefully before changing the subject. "Remus is fighting Moony."

"I figured," Mia breathed out slowly. "He should calm down for Tonks, though."

"She's been working double shifts. Too many damn attacks. Avery has been going to get whatever information he can, but it's slow."

"I don't imagine they'd tell him much," she agreed. "I'm the common factor. Can I see Reg and Avery?" She bit her lip as he watched her before nodding shortly.

"I'll send them in with dinner." He said as he left the room.

Hermione moved to sit on the arm of Mia's chair, stroking her arm soothingly. It did relax the girl, and she assumed it was because she was literally being cared for by magic itself. "You don't have to jump back into things so quickly," Hermione said. Mia shrugged a bit.

"If I don't want them to pity me, it's best not to give them a reason to do so to begin with." Her eyes shot up as Regulus flew through the door and across the room, stopping in front of her. Avery followed, though admittedly slower.

"Mia," he breathed. She knew he wanted to touch her and loathed that he hesitated. She waved him forward and Hermione moved to let him sit next to her and pull her into his lap. Her magic stood next to Avery and gave her an encouraging wave.

"I'm alright, love. I'm fine," she lied, but she knew he needed it. He sagged with relief and hesitated before pulling her closer to nuzzle her neck. She forced herself to relax at his touch like she always had. She glanced up at Avery and back down. "I want whatever information Malfoy and the others have given you while I was… out of commission." Hermione snorted but otherwise stayed quiet after Mia's pointed glare.

"There was an attack on the Thomas's-,"

"Is Dean okay?" Mia interrupted, alarmed. Regulus kissed her cheek lovingly, and she found she still loved that.

"He's fine, Sano. His family was taken to a safe house, and he's staying with Remus and Tonks for now. He's joined the Order." Avery said softly. Mia relaxed and Hermione gave her a supportive smile. "There was a planned attack on the Wood's, but the Order moved them in time. They're staying at some safe house in France that belonged to my family." Avery glared at Regulus's smirk.

"He's the Secret Keeper. Apparently the best Secret Keeper is one no one knows is alive," her boyfriend told her, amused.

"Moving on," Mia said, rolling her eyes with a small smile. "What did you tell them about… this?" She asked, waving to her wounds. Avery shrugged as Regulus took the question.

"We told them you'd been badly wounded after Dolohov captured you. Unfortunately, they seem very aware of the man's record and seemed to have worked it out for themselves. They're rather murderous, but said nothing." Regulus paused before looking at Mia. "You didn't put some sort of loyalty spell on them, did you? They seem awfully fond of you so soon." Mia shrugged, unsurprised of the Slytherin boys's loyalty.

"No, but I expected this. They've all been desperate for a way out, and I offer one. Not to mention I'm the most reliable person and most trustworthy of their options. They probably trust me more than each other," she sighed before continuing. "Draco and Blaise, I imagine they're pissed that he almost took their chance at freedom from that world, but there's probably some genuine concern there somewhere. Theo, he and I clicked. He… seemed to understand my feelings for Dolohov, and I understood to some extent the scars his father has given him and did not pity him. I imagine Theo's anger stemmed from true concern and his loyalty comes from a good place."

"You'd have made a perfect Slytherin, you know," Avery said, slightly amused, before adding, "if you knew how to lie, that is."

"I can lie!"

"No, Little Lion," Regulus laughed. "You really can't."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Do you know how long it'll be until she heals?" Ron asked nervously. Harry ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"Apparently it'll be weeks, maybe a couple months. I heard them say her magic is healing her in an odd pattern, like she's not always letting it, but when she is, it heals her more than they expected. They're just not sure."

"I'm not sure we can wait that long," Ron replied with a frown.

"She won't be strong enough anytime soon, though."

Both boys turned as they heard Sirius muttering angrily in the hall. They shared a look before walking after Sirius.

"-third fucking time he's attacked her. He deserves to die-," they heard Sirius mutter. They followed him into his study and closed the door behind him, shocking him out of his angry daze. "Oh."

"He's attacked her before?" Ron asked angrily. Sirius looked at the two of them for a long moment before nodding in exhaustion.

"Once at school. He nearly killed her then, too. Bashed her head into the wall and used Sectumsempra on her. It was horrible. James and Remus and I pulled beds up next to her and slept with her. I heard her call Snape to her and he felt awful. Bloody deserved it if you ask me," Sirius muttered.

"What about the second time?" Harry asked, bringing Sirius back to the present. The man's eyes widened as he remembered and he sighed, leaning against his desk.

"He held her back in the DOM and made her watch me die. I swear that hurt her more than Bellatrix."

"I meant to ask," Harry said with a frown. "What happened with Bellatrix?"

Sirius heaved a sigh before giving in. He was too tired to spew excuses for not telling them. "Mia was in danger. We'd worked out making sure that someone was with her at all times. We were in Hogsmeade and it was my turn to stay with her, but she demanded I enjoy myself while she went into Tomes and Scrolls. Said she'd be an hour. So we separated and after an hour, James told me to go get her because I was nervous and worried. When I got there, Bella was crucioing her and had been for at least a half hour. It was only days later that she and Fred came back."

Harry and Ron were both pale. They shared a dark look and nodded. They knew one thing: Mia wasn't coming with them to hunt for Horcruxes. She'd been through enough.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

August 13th, 1997

"I don't think this is a good idea," Sirius said with frustration.

"I'm fine!" Mia snapped. "If you're so bloody nervous about it, you can come with us."

"If you're going to be an idiot, I guess I'll have to!" Sirius replied angrily. Regulus rolled his eyes and waved at his brother to move. Sirius heaved a sigh and did, leaving Grimmauld Place with them and Avery. Mia stayed silent as she took Regulus's arm, and they all Apparated to her house in France.

They appeared in the house and Mia held tightly to her boyfriend to keep from stumbling. She knew Sirius thought she was being reckless, but she was sick of staying in her room all day and she'd gotten word from Theo that they needed to meet, so she'd promised to be there in person.

"Sit." Sirius ordered, helping her to the chair behind the desk. Regulus and Avery placed themselves on either side of her immediately, and Sirius moved to the door, waiting for the Slytherins. He looked back at Mia every few seconds, and she tried to push down her irritation. She knew he was just worried.

It wasn't long before the three Death Eaters walked into the room, though Draco was openly glaring at Sirius. "Draco," Mia said in a warning tone. "Play nice. He insisted on coming and he will be good, too." Draco nodded once and Mia turned to Theo, waving him on.

"He's targeting the Bones family," Theo said with a shrug. "And Blaise and I are meant to attack Professor Lupin and his wife along with a few others."

"Susan," Mia said, eyes wide. "Alright. We'll put them in Grimmauld Place for the time being, and we can Obliviate them when they leave. Remus and Tonks won't be found anyway, so they're safe as long as they stay home." Sirius stuck his tongue out at her from behind the Slytherins, and she smirked a bit. She knew he didn't mind the Bones family staying with him and that he was just teasing.

Theo nodded grimly. "Good. Aside from that, Voldemort has nearly taken the ministry. It's not safe anymore. I highly suggest you and the rest of the Golden Trio stay inside and don't go anywhere alone," he looked at her seriously, a worry in his eyes that made her heart hurt a bit. "I'm serious, Sano."

"No, I'm-,"

"Sirius," Regulus interrupted. "We get it."

Mia's lips twitched. "Yes, anyway. I'll stay inside or with someone."

"You'll stay inside," Sirius muttered. Mia glared at him and Blaise coughed. She looked at him and nodded him on.

"I was wondering how you and your friends plan on winning this war?" He asked bluntly. Mia barely held in an eye roll. She knew this was coming.

"We've got some things we need to find and destroy, and then we can kill him. Until that's done, he can't die," she said simply.

"What sort of things?" Draco asked suspiciously. Mia paused, weighing the pros and cons of telling him.

"Horcruxes."

Mia saw all of them freeze and stare at her with what she knew was horror on their faces. She shrugged a bit. "Seven of them." Draco paled and Blaise looked sick. Theo simply continued to stare at her.

"Bloody hell…"

"Harry destroyed one in his second year," Mia said, avoiding Draco's gaze. It was his father that had given Ginny the diary and nearly killed herself and others. "In the Chamber of Secrets, he killed Tom's diary."

"So there are six left?" Theo asked. Mia nodded her confirmation.

"We have another," Regulus added. "I 'died' trying to make sure it was destroyed."

Avery glanced at Mia, eyes wide, and she waved him on with intrigue.

"You three will be going back to Hogwarts, yes?" The friends nodded curiously and he grinned at them. "We need the Sword of Gryffindor. It'll be in Snape's office."

"I can do it," Draco said slowly. "But it'll have to wait until school starts."

Mia grinned at him brightly. "That's brilliant, Draco, thank you."

"Anything else?" Regulus asked politely.

"No," Blaise said with a polite smile.

"Actually," Theo smiled. "I'd like to talk to Mia alone for a moment if that's alright."

"Of course-," Mia started.

"No." Sirius glared at Theo. "She's not going where I can't see her."

Mia frowned at the animagus before offering Theo a smile. "Of course we can. Sirius and the others will wait in the hall." She stared at Sirius for a long moment before he nodded shortly.

"The door is staying open," he growled, but he left the room along with everyone else. Mia smiled at Theo and put up a privacy bubble.

"What did you need?" She asked softly.

"I wanted to see how you're doing. I assumed you wouldn't want it to be a big deal. That's why I asked to talk alone," he explained. She saw the genuine concern in his eyes and decided to be honest.

"I'm surviving. I don't really remember everything that happened, honestly. I've had some spotty memory issues, but I'm… fine," she trailed off. Part of her wanted to tell him about her magic taking a form, but she wasn't sure how he would react.

"What is it?" His voice was soft and curious, and he must've seen her debating something. She shrugged a bit, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Can I tell you something without you thinking I'm insane?"

"Of course," he offered her a smile and she found she quite liked the genuine gesture from him as it made his eyes lighter and his face generally kinder. She nodded and relaxed against the desk.

"When I was in the coma, it was because I didn't _want_ to wake up. I had this… dream, and in it I saw myself… er, Hermione, rather. She talked to me and convinced me to wake up. I thought it was just a dream, but the day I woke up, she appeared again in the room with me and talked to me. She told me I was denying her healing help and then when Fred came in the room, I couldn't tell which twin it was and she told me." Mia sighed, chewing on her lip. "She's been helping me remember things when I need to and comforting me, but I'm starting to have problems with… reality. Is she even there? If she is, am I actually awake, or what? I'm just… I feel like I'm going crazy, so I haven't told anyone."

There was a few beats of silence before he wrapped an arm around her comfortingly. She blinked, shocked, before relaxing into his side. "I think she's real. I think this is the only way your magic decided you'll accept its help. It's known that magic is sentient to some extent, and yours seems to have taken on a personality that it thinks you'll listen to. I think you must be pretty damn powerful for this to be happening. I think that you're as sane as the rest of us." He smirked at her a little before winking. "Maybe a little more than Sirius."

Mia laughed a little and leaned her head against him. "Thanks for telling me I'm not crazy."

"Anytime, Sano," he squeezed her side before releasing her and waving down the privacy bubble. "By the way, we have a name for you. I thought you should have a name for us."

Mia raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Agmen," he offered. Mia felt a smile tug at her lips.

"Troop," she translated. "Fitting enough."

"That's what I thought." He gave her another smile before offering her his arm, which she took, and walking her out of the room. He handed her over to Regulus, and she leaned her back against her boyfriend's chest as they said their goodbyes. Once the Death Eaters were gone, Sirius glowered at Mia.

"What?" She asked, vaguely annoyed by his over protectiveness.

"He could've hurt you."

Mia snorted at the idea and rolled her eyes. "No. He's loyal, Sirius, and kind."

"He bullied you in school," Sirius fought.

"Theo didn't, Draco did, and I forgave him. Either way, it's my business what happened in school," she argued. "You were all outside of the room, and I was perfectly safe. Bill helped me set up these wards. They'd kill anyone immediately if they had harmful intentions toward me, same as in Grimmauld Place would for you."

"I still don't think it's a good idea," he muttered. She felt Regulus sigh and rub her arm, but it was Avery who spoke.

"Sano, we should get back. You're due for your potions and Fabian and Gideon were meeting us at the Burrow for the Order meeting at six." She gave him a thankful smile.

"He's right," Regulus mumbled. She didn't even get to respond before he Apparated on the spot, still holding her tight against him. They appeared in front of the Burrow just seconds before the twins and then Sirius and Avery. She flashed her boys a smile and gripped Regulus's hand, suddenly feeling a bit panicked. She couldn't find her words at the moment, so she just pulled them inside the hectic house.

"Are you alright?" Regulus murmured into her ear, holding her as close as he could. She pulled on him for strength before nodding weakly. It was a lie; she was actually feeling quite panicky, but there was nothing they could do at the moment. They had an Order meeting to get through.

"Oh, there you are! We were just about to start." They watched Molly pull herself around the room as she fixed dinner. Mia gave her a nod and forced smile before escaping into the living room as Regulus got pulled away with Sirius and the twins to set the tables in the garden. She spotted Bill alone in the living room and thanked whatever deity was listening. She dropped herself next to him and he smiled lovingly at her. Her heart swelled at the sight. She had so much family here, and she just loved them all to bits.

Avery slipped into the room with an air of prey escaping a predator and placed himself behind her protectively while Bill searched her face. "Have you been eating?"

"I'm fine," she muttered. Bill's eyes narrowed at her and she squirmed under the detected lie.

"I'm not mad at you, love. I'm just worried. You don't have a great history of taking care of yourself. Does your third year ring a bell?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Professor McGonagall approved the work load!" She argued.

"Minnie doesn't take care of herself well, either," Bill said with a snort. "You worked yourself sick that year. Ron and Ginny both begged me to write you and explain how I got everything done without going insane."

"You _did_ ," Mia said with a chuckle. "I got a letter out of the blue from you. It was the first time we ever talked."

"I know," Bill laughed. "It was as weird for me as it was for you, love. I wouldn't have done it if Fred hadn't written to me once, too. I figured you were important to four of my siblings, so you were important to me, too." He wrapped a loving arm around her. "And I was right. You're a Mini-Me."

"Lavender teased me for weeks, accusing me of having an older lover," she scrunched her nose up. "I nearly punched her."

"You should've," Bill grinned at her. "Ron says you got good practice with Malfoy."

Avery snorted a laugh, and Mia pinched him. "He was being a git!"

"Remind me not to get on your bad side, Sano," he replied, mirth coloring his voice.

"You would never." Mia stated with a soft smile.

"Dinner!" Molly yelled from the kitchen. Bill patted Mia's leg and helped her up, standing in front of her as they walked out into the garden with Avery placed behind her. She didn't much mind the over protective escort. She knew it made everyone feel better, and she would never admit it, but it made her feel better, too.

Mia looked around the table. Ginny wasn't there, and neither was Tonks. Fred and George were sitting by Harry and Ron along with Sirius and Regulus sitting across from Fabian and Gideon. Bill and Avery sat with Mia at that table and she looked around the garden at the other tables.

She found Remus sitting at the table to her right. She was comforted by the fact that they were close enough that she could grab his hand if she needed to. Next to Remus was Amelia Bones – Mia felt her nerves skyrocket at the sight of the head of the DMLE – and Emmaline Vance. It was the smallest table there, she realized as she looked to the last table.

Molly and Arthur were sitting with Moody, Kingsley, and a man that Mia realized was Elphias Dodge. She smiled politely at everyone before glancing at Harry and Ron.

"Are you two okay? You look exhausted," she frowned at them, worried.

"We're fine," Harry announced hastily. "We were up late flying last night."

They're horrible liars, Mia thought with a sigh. She turned her attention to Fabian and Gideon. "Any updates?"

"The Manor should be ready in a few days, actually," Fabian told her happily. Mia's eyes lit up with her grin.

"That's amazing!" She glanced at Sirius happily. "I was thinking everyone at Grimmauld Place could stay in the Manor and you could clean out and redo the old place. It's too dark there."

"That would be brilliant, Mia Mine." Sirius said happily.

"Alright, everyone!" They turned to Arthur as the meeting began. "A quick announcement before we start. Bill and Fluer are getting married in a week here at the Burrow! You're all invited."

Mia's eyes widened as she gasped. She turned to the redhead sitting next to her and glared. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I, uh, didn't think to?" Bill offered sheepishly. She glared at him as Arthur coughed, reclaiming their attention.

"Right. Anyway, I think Mia's got some information to start us out?" He said, sitting down. Mia took in a deep breath and stood as all eyes turned to her.

"My source tells me there are to be a few attacks soon." She turned to Remus and gave him a sad smile. "Remus and Tonks are on the list. I don't think it's necessary to move them to a safe house. I think if we just post someone outside their house and don't let them go anywhere alone, they'll be fine." She looked around in satisfaction as everyone agreed before moving on. "Another tip we got is about the Bones family. There's to be an attack." She turned to Amelia with a smile. "We'll move you and Susan to Sirius and Regulus's home if that's alright with you?"

"Thank you," Amelia said tiredly. "We'd appreciate that."

"Good. The last thing is that they've nearly taken the ministry. It's not safe anymore, though I'm sure you all know that. It's suggested that no one go alone anywhere anymore, and I agree." She looked around the garden. "It won't be long. Everyone be careful." She added before sitting again. She reached out and Remus took her hand, her best friend running his thumb soothingly along her palm.

"Alright," Kingsley said sadly. "There have been six more attacks on muggles. We need to set up a watch around London. Will anyone sign up?" Almost everyone's hands shot in the air. The only exceptions were Harry, Ron, Mia, Regulus, and Avery, but no one seemed to mention it. Kinglsey set up the first few days of patrol and then everyone went back to their meals. Mia spent most of it teasing Bill for not telling her he was getting married.

When the meal was over, Mia went back into the Burrow and flung herself on the couch with a cup of tea. She hadn't had much alone time in a while, and she was glad to have time to think.

"It's good that you're with them. Family helps heal the soul," a voice said. Mia looked up and smiled at Hermione perching on the end of the couch.

"They're a reminder to me. They're so happy among each other. They love so much and laugh and just… it reminds me that this war isn't hopeless."

"It never was, Mia," Hermione smiled back.

"Was he right?" Mia sat up and looked at the girl. "Theo, I mean. Was he right about why you're here."

"Yes," Hermione shrugged.

"You thought I wouldn't listen to you unless you could literally speak to me?" Mia asked, slightly amused. She wasn't that thick, was she?

"Yeah," Hermione smiled sheepishly. "You just don't always listen to me. I give you tons of hints all the time, but you're too logical. You don't like to listen to your instincts."

"Harry listens to his instincts all the time," Mia said with a shrug. "And he's gotten in a ton of trouble for it."

"Maybe, but he saved the world, too," Hermione pointed out. Mia frowned.

"Maybe you're right. I just like to think things out more, but I guess I could listen to my gut when you try to give me hints."

"Good!" Hermione grinned at her happily. "If you do, I think you'll heal much faster."

"Will I see you again, or are you leaving now?"

"I'll be here if you ask me to be. I'm your magic. I'm always here."

"I- thank you. Thank you."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Ready to go, Susan?" Mia called up the stairs. She tapped her foot impatiently. She'd come along with Sirius and Regulus and Avery to pick up the Bones' and bring them back to Grimmauld Place. Regulus had become the Secret Keeper when Sirius realized no one they didn't trust even knew he was alive and that it would be safest.

"Coming!" Susan yelled back as she ran down the stairs with her trunk floating in front of her and a bag slung over her shoulder. Mia stepped aside and Regulus grabbed Susan's trunk for her while Avery took her bag. Susan raised her eyebrows at Mia but said nothing else. It seemed Amelia hadn't told her anything about Mia.

They made their way into the living room where Sirius and Amelia were waiting impatiently for the teens. Sirius and Regulus shared a look before Regulus sighed. "I'll go ahead and make sure everything's secure. Sano, you next."

"I'm not the one we need to protect tonight, Reg," Mia said, annoyed. She looked to Sirius and Amelia, but they seemed to agree with Regulus. "Avery?"

"I agree with him, Sano."

"You're all over protective gits," she muttered, stepping behind her boyfriend. "Go on." She watched as Regulus disappeared into the Floo. She avoided Susan's lost and questioning look and followed her boyfriend through. When she was back in Grimmauld Place, Regulus pulled her into his arms before she could gain her balance and push him away.

"I love you," he muttered. "I just need you safe."

"I know. I love you, too."

"Gah!" Susan stumbled out of the fireplace, holding her shoulder with an arm. She spotted the couple and her eyes widened, but she pointed at the fireplace. "Death Eaters! Sirius shoved me through, but he was hit, and-,"

Mia wasn't sure what happened. She was just in the fireplace suddenly and then back at the Bones's house. She looked around frantically and raised her wand just in time to block a curse thrown at her. There were at least ten Death Eaters that she could see. She cursed under her breath and locked down the floo immediately. She refused to let Regulus come after her and get hurt.

Mia stumbled through the room before she was engaged by someone – Alecto Carrow, she thought – in battle. She threw curses as fast as she could. It felt like hours before her stupefy got through and stunned the Death Eater. She looked frantically around the living room and spotted Amelia being cornered. She wouldn't make it there in time, and she knew it. She needed some sort of distraction…

" _Expecto Patronum_!" Mia screamed. Her lioness shot from her wand and bound over to the group of Death Eaters, knocking them over as she passed. Amelia shot Mia an amazed and thankful smile and pointed toward the stairs. Mia smile her thanks before nodding toward the door. The woman seemed to get the hint as she smashed the window and jumped out into the bushes. Mia snorted a laugh as she ran to find Sirius cornered but fighting well. She looked back as the Death Eaters in the living room grabbed their unconscious friends and disapparated away.

" _Petrificus Totalus_!" She put a Death Eater in a body bind and grabbed the attention of the others. Sirius grinned wildly at her before stunning two of the three left over. The last one, Rowle, shot a _crucio_ at Sirius silently. Mia paused slightly as Sirius fell to the ground, but she recognized the curse quickly.

" _Sectumsempra_!" She threw the curse viciously at Rowle, relief flooding her as he hit the ground, blood staining his shirt. She looked sadly at Sirius. " _Levicorpus_ ," she said, leading Sirius gently outside. She carefully let him down onto her lap when she sat and waved Amelia over. The woman made her way over quickly, escorting an unconscious Death Eater. "Bloody hell… I can't side-along three people. Just… it's Twelve Grimmauld Place," she informed her. She could Obliviate her of the address later.

They left for the dreary house where Susan was waiting with a furious Regulus and Avery, the latter having Apparated home to keep Mia from leaving a moment too late. Susan took one look at them and ran back in the house for help while Regulus hauled his brother back in the house and Avery took Mia's arm, escorting her up the stairs and into her room. She let him, not caring much.

"What the fuck, Mia?!" He yelled once he shut the door. "You could have died!"

"And I didn't," she replied calmly. "But Sirius was tortured and Amelia would be dead if I hadn't intervened."

"It wasn't worth it," he snapped. "I'd rather she die than you."

"Avery! That's-,"

"The truth. I don't give a shit about them, Mia, I care about you. Don't act so scandalized. I'd have thought you realized already that I'm on your side, not the side of the Light. I'm loyal to you, Mia, not them." He paused to look at her, and she almost regretted her actions from the look in his eyes. "I'm not stuck with Voldemort anymore. I could be off living a comfortable life in America, but I'm not. I'm staying with you. I swore my wand to you and I intend to keep that promise. Please, don't make my job harder than it has to be."

Mia stared at him for a long moment before she looked down, letting out a soft sigh. "I'm sorry. I was just scared."

"I know, Sano. So were we."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Hey! So this feels a little rough to me, but that's probably to be expected since it literally took me all day to write this. It's kinda a filler, but it had to be done. There are some important bits in here.**

 **Is anyone participating in NaNoWriMo? I've just signed up. This'll be my first year trying! I'm so excited.**

 **I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!**

 **P.S. Praeliator is apparently warrior in Latin. I dunno man. Take up any arguments with Google translate.**


	30. Chapter 30

**Well. I Googled when Bill and Fluer got married. Apparently it was on August 1** **st** **. So we'll just have to push it back a bit here. Whoops. I should've looked it up earlier!**

 **I'm not gonna point out Fluer's accent. Not only am I not good at it, but I also find it slightly unnecessary.**

 **Oh, also, I'm not really gonna do canon relationships here. So obviously it's not Hermione/Ron, but aside from that, there's no Harry/Ginny. I've got plans for everyone! Hopefully I can do justice to each pairing I've come up with, though.**

 **IMPORTANT: I posted a ~very~ special something in the drabbles/one shots/whatever on my profile for this story. I suggest you read it! Like really, go read it. Cool.**

 **There's fifty of you? Merlin I love you all.**

 **Alytiger: Yeah, I know. But it's Mia. She's not usually one to sit back and relax while people are fighting. Plus, Sirius was in danger. That alone would get her moving! (Quick funny note: I nearly replied to this comment as if it came from chapter 30 and not chapter 29. Oops.)**

 **M1sch1efManaged: I know. But she's really been through so much that it's to be expected, you know? She's not had a good go of it lately. Most normal people would probably not leave their rooms for a month after Bellatrix alone, and then with the knowledge of what Dolohov did… it's not surprising. But I feel you. I'm frustrated, too.**

 **Everything-is-black-and-white: thank you!**

 **To the guests that have reviewed: you're all really lovely and thank you.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

 **Chapter Thirty**

August 20th, 1997

Regulus glared at his dress robes. It was going to be a long day in those. He hadn't worn them since Walburga bought them for him, and he realized with a start that it had been about twenty years since that had happened. "Mia?" He called. She popped her head out of the bathroom and raised an eyebrow. "You're sure I shouldn't just get some new robes?"

"Merlin, Reg, the wedding is in four hours! We have to leave soon to help set up. We don't have time. Why don't you just borrow a set from Harry if you don't like your own?" She looked agitated as she wrapped a curl around her wand and held it there.

"Avery's using his spare robes," Regulus sighed. "When he went shopping for his things, he didn't think he'd need any dress robes."

"Well I think you're stuck, then." Mia huffed as she removed the curl from her wand and waved it into the loose bun on the back of her head.

"I'll be right back," he mumbled. She went to protest, but he popped out too quick. Mia narrowed her eyes and slammed the bathroom door to finish her hair. Twenty minutes later, Mia started on her makeup. She was bringing the mascara up to her eye when there was another pop, startling her.

"Regulus!" She screamed, rubbing her eye furiously. "I'm gonna kill you."

"Sorry," he responded sheepishly. "Are you okay?"

"Stabbed myself in the damn eye," she growled back before starting at her makeup again. "What were you doing?"

"I just got myself some robes."

"How?" She paused.

"In a manner which you may not approve, love."

"No felonies today!" She yelled. It didn't take her very long to finish her makeup. She looked at herself critically in the mirror. She had on a long blue dress that curved to her hips and chest before flowing out loosely to the ground. It had beads along the waist and a little butterfly pin on the left. It matched her skin tone beautifully, and she actually loved it. Her hair was tied up in curls on the back of her head with a butterfly pin. Her makeup was more natural. She had light brown eyeshadow on and a soft pink lipstick on her lips. Satisfied with herself, she opened the door and walked out to meet her boyfriend.

Regulus grinned brightly upon seeing Mia. "You look beautiful, Mia." He kissed her cheek and took her hand as she vanished the price tags on his robes.

"And you look quite handsome yourself. Honestly, Reg, you actually stole them, didn't you?"

"I don't think that's important, love," he said, leading her down the stairs to meet Harry and Susan. Amelia had gone ahead with Sirius.

"Took you two long enough," Harry sighed. "We're going to be late."

Mia glared at Regulus. "He made me stab myself."

"I did not!" Regulus rolled his eyes at her. "I just surprised her and her makeup… attacked her or something."

"Mascara?" Susan asked, stifling a laugh.

"Yeah," Mia shrugged. "We should go."

The four teenagers stepped outside and Apparated together to the Burrow. It was hectic when they got there. There was a huge tent set up in the garden with at least fifty tables under it, along with a dancefloor. Next to the tent was a path that led to a circle of chairs with a purple and green arch in the middle that had flowers circling the entire thing. It was very beautiful, and Mia had a passing thought of wanting an arch like that at her wedding.

"Oh good, you're here! Mia, Regulus, would you be dears and help the twins set up the candles for the ceremony? There's just so many." Molly sighed deeply and waved the couple off, pulling Harry and Susan inside to help finish the cooking and small details. Mia walked with Regulus to the circle and stood in it, picking up a candle from the pile.

"It's beautiful," she muttered as Regulus followed her in. She saw him smirk and frowned at him. "What?"

"We're not supposed to be _in_ the circle. Only the couple to be wed are meant to enter it. You're just lucky none of the candles are lit yet, or we'd have to get married." He laughed as she squeaked and jumped out of the circle faster than he thought possible.

"Oops," she blushed. "I didn't know."

"I know." He sighed before grabbing her hands and pulling her to a chair under the tent. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Okay," Mia said hesitantly. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes," he said quickly, grabbing her hands. He was standing in front of her while she sat in the chair now. "I talked to Sirius and… Mia, I'd like to request the honor of formally courting you."

"You… formally courting…" she frowned as her eyes flicked to the ring on her left hand. "What exactly does that involve?"

"Well, it would be courting with intent to offer for your hand. So we'd have the formal dates and the heads of our Houses would draw up contracts and after probably a year, I'd give you another betrothal piece. It would probably be a two-year contract, so if you choose to accept the offer after the first year, we would wed at the end of the second." Regulus explained, his pureblood breeding showing more than ever.

"So… Merlin," Mia said, staring up at him with wide eyes. "You talked to Sirius about this already?"

"Yes," Regulus gave her a shy smile. "Protocol dictates I have to ask my head of House before declaring my intent. I, er, spoke to Harry as well. I had to tell him what he'd have to do if you said yes. Sirius offered, but I thought it would be better to do it myself."

Mia took a deep breath and chewed on her lip. "I… I can't say yes unless you understand that if the war is still on in two years, I can't get married yet."

"I know, love. We talked about that. There'll be a clause in the contract with specific conditions under which the wedding can be postponed."

"Well," Mia said, a joyful smile touching her face. "Then I think it's a brilliant idea, Reg." Regulus's eyes flashed happily and he pulled her up, wrapping her in his arms. He kissed her neck and jaw and pecked her cheek lovingly before his lips settled on hers. They stayed there like that for a long moment, holding each other happily as it settled in what they'd agreed to.

"Merlin, what's got you mauling her?" Ginny asked, amused, as she walked up. Mia blushed and pulled away, but Regulus just smirked and wrapped a possessive arm around his girlfriend.

"He's asked to formally court me," Mia explained.

"Wow," the younger girl blinked. "Mia you know that means you two will get married, right? And that your Heads of Houses have to engage in a duel?"

"What?!"

"We can write that out of the contract," Regulus informed hastily.

"Aw," Ginny pouted. "I wanna see Sirius kick his ass."

"Language!" Fred and George yelled from their room. Mia's head whipped up to look at them.

"How long have you two been listening?!"

"Uh,"

"Not sure."

"Maybe since,"

"You tried to light a ceremonious candle,"

"While standing in the circle."

Mia winced. "You two have absolutely no respect for privacy."

"Nope!" They yelled back. Mia took in a deep breath, suppressing the urge to roll her eyes.

"Weren't we supposed to set up the candles?" Regulus asked with an amused smile. "Weren't you two supposed to help us?"

"Nope," Fred said with a shrug. "Probably Fabian and Gideon. They're hiding with Dad in the shed."

"Wimps," Mia muttered, stomping over to the shed. She waved her hand at the door to unlock it and marched in, glaring at the three redheaded men sitting on armchairs and talking. "Hiding, boys?"

They all looked up at her with a deer in headlights expression that nearly made her laugh. "We're, er, just having a drink before the wedding," Gideon lied.

"Everyone says _I'm_ a bad liar," Mia scoffed. "Look at you. Come on, you're meant to be helping Reg and I."

"Yes, ma'am," Fabian said with a roll of his eyes.

"Arthur," Mia said with a sweet smile. "I'm not sure what Molly's asked you to do, but you should probably do it. Happy wife, happy life, you know."

"Um, right. I _should_ be with Bill soon, anyway," Arthur said, glancing between the three. Mia tried not to giggle at his squirming as he left the shed. She rounded on the twins and raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry," they laughed.

"Come on," she smiled at them. "Let's get to work."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Have you got everything packed?" Harry asked hurriedly.

"Yeah," Ron whispered back. "Borrowed one of those cool bags from Percy's room."

"Good. We're leaving in the morning?" Harry asked, and Ron nodded shortly. They'd decided to go after the wedding while everyone was either drunk, hungover, or just generally distracted.

"Boys! Come down here and help set up some more chairs!" Molly yelled up the stairs. They groaned in unison and stomped down the stairs together, Ron dropping the bag in his pocket. They swiftly avoided Molly and got into the garden, waving their wands at the stack of chairs and guiding them to the tables. It didn't take them long, and they were happy to watch Mia boss her boyfriend and friend and the twins around.

"When did Avery get here?" Harry asked Ron curiously.

"Dunno. He wasn't at Grimmauld Place?"

"No. Just me, Susan, Regulus, and Mione." Mia had talked to her friends and told them that if they weren't comfortable calling her Mia, she could understand it if they wanted to call her by the nickname she used to dislike.

"Odd. He's so protective of her. Didn't think he knew how to leave her side."

"I can hear you, you know," Avery yelled to them. Ron blushed and Harry just grinned.

"Well, where were you?" Ron yelled back.

"None of your-,"

"He was doing a favor for me, Ronald," Mia interrupted with an exasperated fondness.

"Children! The guests are arriving! I hope you've finished!" Molly yelled through the kitchen window. Mia set down the last candle with a roll of her eyes.

"We are!"

"Good. Now go and welcome them in! Mia dear, Fluer needs you," Molly told her, biting back her dislike for the girl. Mia snickered quietly but ran into the house, picking up the bottom of her dress.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Oh, Hermione, there you are! I can't get the zipper to move!" Fluer said in a panic. Mia gave her a kind smile and grabbed one of her wands from the holster on her arm – the wand and holster both having been disillusioned so they didn't ruin the graceful beauty of the outfit. She waved it at Fluer's dress and smiled in satisfaction when it zipped easily.

"There. How are you feeling?" Mia asked, looking in a mirror to check her own hair and makeup.

"I can't help it. I'm so nervous! What if he decides he does not love me and cancels?" The Veela asked quietly, panic shining in her beautiful eyes. Mia gave her a smile and wrapped her in a hug.

"Fluer, Bill loves you. He loves your big hear and your kind soul. He loves the way you smile when you're writing a letter or the way you passionately defend those you care about. One night when I couldn't sleep, Bill sat there and told me every reason he loved you, so take my word for it. You're his entire world. He would be so lost without you, Fluer. He would never and could never leave you." Mia whispered quietly, rubbing Fluer's back in a comforting manner. Fluer sniffled a bit and pulled back, giving Mia a watery smile.

"Bill thinks of you as a sister, Mia Potter, and I hope you know I consider you one as well. Thank you."

"Mum is going to kill someone if you two don't hurry up," Ginny said with wide eyes as she popped her head in the door. "Please hurry. I don't want to play Weasley Roulette." Mia snorted at the idea but gently pulled Fluer out of Ginny's room and down the stairs. She held the woman's hand the entire way and they stopped at the back door.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The ceremony was beautiful. Fluer's sister had led the bridal party as Fluer's maid of honor, being escorted by Charlie as Bill's best man. Ginny went next, escorted by Bill's muggleborn friend Ralph. After Ginny was Mia, Ron escorting her smartly down the aisle. They stood in their positions on the outer part of the circle, each picking up the candle set out for them. Finally, Fluer was shown down the aisle by her mum, her dad sitting in the crowd because Veela's were dominated by women. Fluer entered the ceremonial circle with a grace that made Mia do a double take. The circle had closed around them immediately when she'd entered, and Mia had smiled lovingly at the couple in front of her. She was placed opposite Ron near the bottom of the circle, which meant they were nearest to Fluer. Mia held Fluer's wand in her hands and wore the necklace Bill was going to give to Fluer. Ginny had been offered the job, but she had instead asked to hold Bill's wand for him, so she was at the top of the circle near Bill. The necklace pulled on familial love to power it. When it was given to the bride, it would declare her a part of a pureblood family, but more than that, it would declare her Bill's mate, a protection that Remus had suggested they add, as well as some tracking charms and shield charms. With everyone's blessings that it had been given – including the blessings of the House of Potter and the House of Black – it was likely the most powerful necklace of its kind.

Arthur approached the tip of the circle and everyone lit their candles at the call of their significance – love, faithfulness, protection, care, devotion, communication – and set them on the grass. He let them make their vows, magical and personal alike, and then called for the ring ceremony.

Fluer had asked that they do a magical ceremony, which meant that they use their wands to call forth a ring that represented their soul connection. The rings would be immovable once they were placed, and Bill had agreed immediately. Mia handed Fluer her wand first and watched in awe at the beautiful tradition. The rings looked a bit like tree roots twisting together into one large, strong root. Fluer's was more delicate but essentially the exact same as Bill's. They were silver and one of the loveliest things Mia had ever seen.

After that was the necklace. Mia stepped into the circle and bowed her head as Bill removed the necklace. Arthur gave the formal announcement that Mia would now be a magical supporter of the union and would be called upon in the face of their deaths, and some other things that she didn't quite hear but immediately agreed to. She had put her love and care into that necklace and she'd be damned if she took it back now. Bill kissed her cheek before turning back to Fluer. The woman bowed her own head as Bill placed it around her neck. The moment he'd clasped it, a deep golden light erupted from the flowery pendant and encircled the three of them. Mia's eyes flashed as she noticed Sirius's wrist flash brightly out of the corner of her eyes, but the light was gone quickly, settling over all of them like a blanket. Mia gave them each a peck on the cheek before leaving the circle.

Arthur grinned at them before announcing they could kiss, and Mia felt something solidify inside of her when the couple obliged. They pulled apart after a minute, their hands held together, and they walked down the aisle into the house together. Arthur told everyone to get drinks and food under the tent and as everyone dispersed, Mia caught Sirius's eye and nodded to the house, doing the same with Avery and Regulus.

She made her way inside with the three following her. Bill and Fluer were nowhere to be seen, so she guessed they were getting ready for the party. When Avery closed the door behind them, Mia grabbed Sirius's arm harshly and pushed his sleeve up hard. The harsh light was fading, and Mia frowned at it.

"What's it doing? We're both fine." She chewed her lip and considered the possibilities.

"You just bound yourself to a marriage, Sano," Avery said with a pained look on his face. "I wish you'd told us about this before."

"What's that got to do with it?" Mia blinked.

"James Potter was a part of your bond with Sirius," Regulus reminded her. "And so Harry is, too, though there are extenuating circumstances there as well."

"So?"

"So," Sirius sighed. "I'm bound to the lovely new couple in the same way as you."

"Holy…" Mia trailed off as her eyes widened and she turned to Regulus. "Does that mean that when we…"

"No," Avery assured her quickly. "Your own soul bond is just your own. If anything, it would just make Sirius doubly his brother."

"Oh thank Merlin," Mia breathed.

"I do wish you'd told us about this before. That bloody hurt," Sirius complained. Mia rolled her eyes at him.

"Don't whine, Sirius. You're an adult."

"You're an adult," he mimicked in a childish manner.

"We should get back out to the party," Regulus suggested smoothly. Sirius stuck his tongue out at his brother and walked out, grabbing his godson away from Elphias Dodge who was telling him about Dumbledore and Bathilda Hopkirk. Mia let her boyfriend and friend place themselves on either side of her and made her way through the crowd to be stopped by Luna. She smiled brightly at the odd girl.

"Hello Mia Potter. Mother told me you'd come someday," the girl said in a dreamy voice, a pleased smile on her face. Mia blinked in slight surprise before she gathered herself.

"Pandora was a seer as well?" She asked, ignoring the questioning look from Regulus and the warning one from Avery.

"Oh, yes. She Saw a lot from you. She used to tell me stories of the time traveling heroine and her friends," Luna glanced at Regulus and Avery. "I won't hurt her. Talking to her is like talking to a friend."

"I am your friend, Luna," Mia said with a kind smile. "If you want, that is."

"Oh, that would be wonderful! I think I'll be off, though. Daddy is getting nervous and your friends are wary of me. I'll see you in two months, Mia Potter!"

And then the odd girl was gone. Mia felt a sense of dread when Luna said she'd see her in two months. She knew she'd be on the Horcrux hunt by then, and she worried why she'd see her friend then. Avery gave her a pointed stare and she rolled her eyes. "We're at a bloody wedding, Avery, I'm going to talk to people. She's my friend and she's a wonderful person. She's perfectly safe… not to mention a Seer."

"That… little girl is a Seer?" Regulus asked, amazed.

"Yes, and she's great," Mia said, tone defensive.

"Hermione!" All three of them turned to see Professor Slughorn approaching, only to stop dead in his tracks at the sight of two of his dead former students. He glanced at Mia and she sighed, waving him to the outside of the tent where they'd moved.

"Professor Slughorn, I-."

"Regulus Black! Frederick Avery!" He interrupted in amazement. "I'd heard you both died!"

"Not exactly," Regulus said with amusement. Avery stayed silent but shared a look with Mia, a question passing through them: had Dumbledore actually Obliviated him permanently, or would it go away? Mia wasn't sure, but it was worth a try. Worst case scenario, she would just explain everything. Mia assumed Dumbledore knew the trigger word she'd set for everyone else – she'd told him her plan, after all.

"Does the word Sano mean anything to you, sir?" She asked politely. Slughorn blinked at her.

"Well, in Lantin-," he paused and frowned at her before shaking his head and blinking again. "Miss Potter?"

"Hello, Professor Slughorn." She said. She was extremely relieved that he remembered her, but she really didn't feel like explaining. "Avery, will you explain what happened? I really must go find…" she didn't bother finishing her excuse. She grabbed her boyfriend's hand and pulled him away, abandoning a glaring Avery to speak to their old potions professor.

"That was evil," Regulus laughed.

"Slughorn is good at heart, but he's a terrible gossip. Avery will tell him something acceptable for everyone to hear." Mia shrugged. "And I want wine."

"Anything for you," Regulus bowed his head, his eyes pinning her with a dark look that made her heart skip a beat. He grabbed a glass of wine from the table where the bridal party were to sit and handed it to her. She took a long gulp from it to distract herself.

"Mia, shit, save me!" Ginny said, grabbing Mia's arm roughly and hiding herself between the couple, looking over Regulus's shoulder. Regulus glared down at her as Mia tried to shake the small girl off of her. Ginny had a hell of a grip.

"What's wrong?"

"Ralph! He's been following me all night and he just tried to kiss me-,"

"Ginny! I've got your wine-," Ralph was walking up to them, but Mia and Regulus pinned him in spot with glares.

"Ralph, was it?" Mia asked. He nodded.

"You seem to be laboring under the delusion that Ginny wants wine from you," Regulus said lazily.

"Because she doesn't. And I'm sorry, but Ginny doesn't have any interest in you," Mia sighed as if she were truly sorry.

"And we'd appreciate it if you offered her an apology for attempting to kiss her," Regulus said before his eyes darkened dangerously. "You see; Ginny is very dear to my Mia. So, if she's unhappy, Mia will be unhappy. I really hate when Mia is unhappy."

"And poor Ginny here happens to be unhappy right now. Along with Reg disliking me being unhappy, I _hate_ when my loved ones are unhappy."

"This isn't to say you can't be friends. As a matter of fact, I think that would be best, seeing as you're her big brother's best friend, wouldn't you think?" Regulus said in a tone that suggested he was only thinking of what was best for Ralph. The muggleborn wizard blinked at them before nodding slowly.

"That would be best, I guess. Billy's pretty protective of her, huh?" Ralph answered with a nervous laugh. "I'm sorry Ginny. I didn't mean to be an arse."

"That's alright. Why don't you go see Gabrielle? She was staring at you the entire ceremony," Ginny offered, lying through her teeth. Ralph nodded happily and walked off, wine in hand. Ginny looked at the couple in front of her who were grinning at each other. "You two are bloody brilliant."

"You're my sister, Gin," Mia laughed. "I probably would've hexed him, but not at a wedding."

"And she loves you, so I'll take care of you, too, if you need it," Regulus explained. Ginny just snorted at him.

"You're completely whipped," she muttered happily. Regulus just grinned at her in joy.

"Yes, I am. Wonderful, isn't it?"

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"I need to talk to you guys," Remus said in a rush, pulling Mia, Avery, Regulus, Harry, and Ron into the Burrow. No one was inside except for them, but he put up a privacy bubble. Mia frowned in worry and grabbed his hand, sitting next to him on the couch.

"What is it, love?" She asked gently.

"I want to come with you guys." Remus watched their reactions carefully. They were mostly confused.

"Come with us… where?" Harry frowned.

"To do whatever it is Dumbledore told you to do," Remus replied. Mia slapped his arm hard.

"No! Why on earth would you ask such a thing?" He winced at the angry tone.

"I- I'm just-,"

"Remus, truth. Now." Her tone was authoritative and he sighed. He couldn't lie to her.

"Dora's pregnant."

"Oh my god!" Mia squealed, hugging him tightly. "That's amazing!" She backed up and frowned at him. "No."

"Mia, please!"

"No!" She yelled angrily. "You will _not_ abandon your wife and unborn child! You will stay here with them and keep them safe and be a good fucking father! Do you understand me?!" She was screaming at him, and the other boys were silent, letting her do the work.

"She'd be safer witho-,"

"I will destroy you if you finish that sentence, Remus Lupin," Mia snapped, her eyes filled with hurt and frustration. "You are staying home with your bloody wife and child, Remus! Do _not_ argue me on this!"

"It's war, Mia love," Remus whispered. "They'll use my lycanthrope against my family."

"And you will be _protected_!" Mia snapped again. "You and your family will be safe. I swear it on my bloody magic!"

Remus's eyes widened as he felt a cord forming between him – and probably Dora and the child – and Mia. "What the fuck?!"

"Wow, Reg, I get it now," Mia snorted.

"It's a great way to show you're serious, isn't it?" Regulus's eyes swam with a mixture of worry and amusement.

"Yeah. Now, does anyone wanna go back to the bloody wedding? I think dinner's soon," Mia said, standing. She smoothed her dress out before waving her hand, destroying the privacy bubble, and walking out with Avery at her heels. Harry and Ron shared a look before heading upstairs, but Regulus stayed back with Remus.

"Don't make her break the promise, Remus," Regulus warned dangerously. "You know what happens when a promise like that is broken. Don't put yourself in danger. You'll just be putting her in danger, too. And I refuse to let her be in more danger than she has to be."

Remus watched the boy for a minute before nodding sincerely. He loved Mia. She was his best friend aside from Sirius. He'd never put her in danger. "I promise."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Hey, Hermione," Susan said with a smile as she approached Mia. Mia offered her a wary smile. She knew the girl didn't know anything about her trip, so she didn't bother correcting her.

"Hey Susan."

"Can I ask a question? It might come off as a little rude, but I'm just curious," Susan explained with a somewhat sheepish smile. Mia sighed inwardly but nodded, admittedly curious. "Why do you have a guard? Every time I've seen you since we've come to stay, you've had someone with you and they always look like they'll attack you if you get too close."

Ah. So that was why Susan had avoided her. Mia heaved a sigh and decided it was safe to explain a little. "The black haired one is Regulus. He's my boyfriend. This one," she waved at Avery who was trying his best not to look annoyed. "is Avery. He's a… friend. They're both immensely protective of me because there have been a few serious… attacks," she winced at the word, "on me lately."

"But why them and not Harry or Ron? Regulus and Avery didn't go to school with us. I've never really seen them until now," Susan questioned, letting her curiosity take over. Avery's lips thinned and Mia put a hand on his arm to calm him.

"It's really not any of your concern, Miss Bones. _Mia_ is in danger, and we try to take care of her, when she lets us," Avery glared at Mia pointedly, and she just rolled he eyes at him. "because there is a war. She's in the very middle of it along with her friends. As for why Harry and Ron don't protect her like we do… they've got their own issues. If they were being attacked and we were there, we'd protect them, too."

Susan grinned up at him, not seeming at all embarrassed or intimidated by his words. "She's a third of the hope the Light holds for this war. If you're protecting her, maybe we've got a chance."

Mia and Avery blinked at her for a moment before Regulus cleared his throat behind them. Mia turned as Susan excused herself, walking away to see Oliver Wood, who had cornered Harry into a lengthy Quidditch conversation.

Regulus bowed, holding his hand out. "May I have this dance?" Mia gave him a loving smile as she curtsied and accepted his hand.

"Of course, Mister Black." He twirled her into a tight hold against his chest, barely noticing Avery slipping to the edge of the dancefloor. It was a slow song, so he held her tight and placed gentle kisses on her cheek and forehead and one on her shoulder. Mia gave a content sigh and looked up at him.

"The dance we never got on New Year's." She declared. He grabbed her left hand and kissed her knuckles, his eyes settling on the Black ring placed beautifully on her middle finger.

"I do love you, Miss Potter," Regulus declared, ignoring the looks they were slowing gathering.

"And I love you, Mister Black," she replied, placing a chaste kiss on his lips. They both ignored the eyes on them as they finished the dance with their foreheads bent together and holding each other close. They paused for a long moment as the song changed before he held his arm out and she took it, letting him escort her to the bridal party table for the toasts.

Mia sat next to Ginny and Gabrielle with Fluer on Gabrielle's other side. Next to Fluer was Bill – who was giving Mia an odd look – and then Charlie, Ron, and Ralph. Mia stood up with Gabrielle and translated the short speech for everyone from French to English before sitting down. The speeches were generally short and nothing out of the usual. Mia sat through them and sipped her wine. It wasn't long before toasts were over and everyone was eating. The meal was good and over rather quickly. Everyone filed out onto the dancefloor for more talking or wandered around to mingle, but Mia grabbed Bill.

"I thought I should warn you that because of extenuating circumstances, Sirius is kind of bound to your marriage along with me," she winced at the admission. "I didn't know or I would've insisted Ginny do it."

"He's… what do you mean?" Bill asked, more curious than upset.

"Well, I brought him back to life," Bill nodded a bit. "It required a bond for me to do so. Now he's bound to me and… I don't know," she said tiredly. "Avery would know better than I do."

Bill softened a bit at her tiredness and wrapped an arm around her. "Are you okay? Was today too much for you?" He asked with concern. Mia shrugged a bit.

"I'm alright. I'm just… I don't know." Mia frowned and poked his chest. "It's your wedding. You're married! Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself and if I don't, my boys will for me. Enjoy tonight. You deserve the light in the dark."

Bill watched her critically before nodding and kissing the top of her head. "You know I love you? You're my sister," he announced firmly, and she felt their bond tighten happily.

"I know Bill. I love you, too. Now go mingle. Find Charlie before the twins convince him to do something awful." Bill let out a laugh but nodded, understanding that it was not completely a joke. He left her and she dropped herself down into his seat, rubbing her head.

"You're exhausting herself," Hermione said worriedly. "You need a rest."

"A rest, she says," Mia laughed bitterly. "You know what I did yesterday, what Avery was doing. A rest would just let me think about it."

"You have to tell them eventually," the girl pointed out. "Your friends and family. You know as well as I do that Kingsley is going to offer your parents – your muggle parents, I mean – a safe house tomorrow. You should tell Regulus and Ron and Harry at least."

"Not tonight," Mia replied firmly. "Everyone's happy tonight."

"Not you."

"Yes, I am!" She spat defensively.

"No, not like they are. You can feel it… we can feel it," Hermione's presence darkened. "Something is terribly wrong."

"Is that why you're here? To warn me?" Mia asked, eyes wide. Hermione nodded grimly.

"Try to get people out. Something is just… very wrong."

"I don't think it's that easy-," Mia cut off as a lynx sped through the tent, landing in front of Mia and grabbing everyone's attention.

"The Ministry has fallen; Scrimgeour is dead; they are coming." Kingsley's lynx faded and there was a beat of silence before chaos broke out. Mia's eyes swept the room and realized with a start that Ginny, Harry, Ron, Regulus, Avery, Charlie, and Susan were all across the room. She couldn't find anyone else amongst the chaos but she knew she had to get to them. She left her seat, leaping over the table. She saw Luna run to Regulus, and Mia realized she must have had some sort of vision to be avoiding her father. Mia ran through the swarms of people as fast as she could, barely reaching her boyfriend in time. She flung herself into his open arms and he wrapped them tightly around her as swirls of black whipped through the tent, landing in a circle and shooting curse after curse, hex after hex at the remaining guests. Regulus shared a look with Avery and they made a silent agreement.

"Wait! Luna too!" Mia yelled at Avery. He gave her a critical look before grabbing Luna's wrist and disapparating away, Regulus doing the same. Harry and Ron shared a dark look when they left as realization hit: they really were alone now. Harry put a hand on his friend's shoulder and twisted his foot, sending them flying to his destination, left only with his supplies and one of his best friends.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **And the hunt begins! What do you think will happen? Where do you think Mia went? What about Harry and Ron? There are so many possibilities!**

 **I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!**

 **Edit: I literally forgot about Scrimgeour pulling Hermione, Ron, and Harry aside for the will. I'll add that scene to my one shots/whatever thing. It's not going to be important or really changed at all, but I'll add it.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty One**

August 20th, 1997

Mia sat back impatiently and glared at the door. Luna was in the room healing a splinched Avery and Regulus was adjusting the wards Avery had tried to smash through when they'd apparated to Potter Manor. Mia was squirming in her chair when Hermione appeared with a raised eyebrow. "Why are you so nervous?"

"He was splinched and we're in the wrong place," Mia replied with a huff.

"He's going to be fine," the girl reassured her. Mia looked at her in disbelief.

"He slammed through some of the best wards in any of the Ancient and Noble houses! The only reason he isn't dead is because I'm here!" She paused and took a breath. "We shouldn't be here."

"You wanted to come back with Harry and Sirius," Hermione said sympathetically.

"It's my home… Sirius's home, too, and Harry's if he wants it. We shouldn't be here just because we're on the run. It feels wrong."

"Are you sure it doesn't feel wrong because James and-,"

"James has nothing to do with this!" Mia snapped viciously. "Jamie didn't live here for years by the time he…" she took a shaky breath and chewed her lip. "I miss Dorea and Charlus. I never got a proper goodbye, and we just left Dorea there in the battle…" she blinked back the harsh tears that threatened to spill.

"Mia?" A soft voice called. Mia sprang to her feet and looked hopefully at Luna. "He'll be fine in a few hours."

"Can he side-along soon?" She asked anxiously. She wanted out of there as soon as possible.

"I suppose so, but you might want to talk to the nice little elf that helped me. She said she's got things for you."

"Filly?" Mia asked in confusion. Sure enough, a soft 'pop' sounded and there was a small elf grinning up at her happily.

"Mistress! Oh, welcome home, Mistress!" The elf squealed.

"I- thank you, Filly. Have you… been here this entire time? This Manor was under a Death Fidelus, it only ended when Sirius had me declared alive," she said, chewing nervously on her lip. She hoped the poor thing hadn't been trapped here for over fifteen years.

"Oh, yes, Mistress! But Filly kept it pretty, and so did Tilly!" Filly grinned proudly.

"Who is-,"

"Mother called for Tilly?" A smaller elf asked, popping into the room. Her eyes widened and she grabbed her ears shyly upon seeing Mia, Luna having slipped away unnoticed to check on Regulus. "Oh Mistress Mia! Mistress Dorea told us you'd come back!"

"I- Dorea?" Mia asked dumbly, thoroughly overwhelmed.

"Oh, yes. Mistress Dorea told us the young Miss would come home again. Mistress Dorea went to a Seer Pandora to know the young Miss was alright," Filly explained. Mia's eyes widened.

"Mum went to see Luna's mum?" She asked in amazement.

"Yes! And the odd miss told Mistress that young Miss would come back with her soul person and friends and that we were to give the young Miss memories, and to tells the young Miss that she must not watch them until the last day of Hogywarts!" Tillly told her in excitement. "She told us that Mistress Mia would rebuild three whole Houses and that she's the best witch since Morgana!"

"Merlin," Mia said shakily. "Three Houses?" She took a deep breath, wishing more than anything that Regulus was there to ground her. She looked the elves over as an idea sparked. "I have a question for you."

"Anything!" They said together.

"Can you find an elf named Dobby and bring him here?" She asked gently. The elves shared a look and Tilly's ears twitched.

"Is can find him," the elf offered happily. She smiled brightly at Mia once more before popping off. Mia let out a breath and tried to sit down again, but Filly grabbed her hand and pulled her up.

"Filly, what're you doing?"

"Mistress Dorea told us to bring Mistress Mia to her when she came home," the elf said slowly, like Mia was stupid. Mia froze, blinking.

"Filly, Dorea… She's dead," she winced at the words. She hated them.

"Filly knows," the elf wiped at her suddenly tear filled eyes. "Mistress Dorea has a portrait."

"Oh." She had no clue what else she could say. She didn't have the energy to resist as the small elf pulled her off to the small study and Mia prepared herself for a talk she wouldn't forget.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Where are they?!" Sirius yelled. Remus ran his hands angrily through his hair and shrugged slightly as he reset the Fidelus on Grimmauld Place.

"They probably left," Tonks said softly. "We've all known they have something planned for a while now."

"They should've told me!" Sirius snarled. "What if they're all dead or something? What if they're-,"

"Holy mother of Merlin," Andromeda breathed. Sirius turned around to face his cousin. She was at the opposite end of the basement, sifting through portraits as Remus did the spell.

"What?" Sirius asked, trying not to snap. From Dromeda's scowl, he assumed he failed.

"Your Uncle Alphard and Grandpa Arcturus," she said softly. Sirius stiffened.

"Excuse me?"

"Their portraits," Dromeda said. She waved her wand, pulling two from the admittedly large pile and levitating them to the middle of the room. Sirius walked over and his breath caught.

"I thought Uncle Alphard's was destroyed when he was disowned," he commented. Dromeda snorted at the idea.

"They don't burn any portraits. Mine is probably here somewhere as well, sadly," she remarked. "What are you going to do?"

Sirius looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Tonks started slowly, interrupting her mother. "are you going to wake them or not?"

"What's the point?" Sirius asked. He pointed at his grandfather first. "He hated me, and he," he pointed at his uncle, his features softening a bit. "well, he and I said everything we needed to say before he died."

"If you're sure," Remus said, putting his wand away. Sirius narrowed his eyes at his friend, not liking the tone.

"What do you mean by that, Moony?"

"Well, Padfoot, I simply think it would be good to have some more closure," he smirked a bit. "And it's never a bad idea to wake someone who has a twin portrait in the Board of Directors office for Hogwarts," Remus reasoned. Sirius swore colorfully for a few minutes before sighing in defeat.

"This war really is hitting its height again," he admitted. "And it might not be horrible to know what they're doing at the school."

"We'll leave you be, then," Dromeda offered, waving her daughter and son in law up the stairs like small children. Tonks rolled her eyes in amusement at her husband's indignant look, but both went up without a word. Andromeda gave her own supportive smile before gracefully sweeping from the room.

Sirius ran a hand through his hair as the nerves set in. He and his grandfather hadn't always gotten along, and he had hated the man for a long time for leaving him with Walburga and Orion, but he'd gotten over it. Pureblood laws were awful, and he knew there wasn't too much his grandfather could've done with the position he was in. But still… the man always butted heads with him, and he wasn't looking forward to this.

He muttered the spell with a sigh and waited patiently for his grandfather to wake. He wanted to summon a chair, but he was determined to act like the formal pureblood he'd been raised to be… minus all the bigotry and hatred.

He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, standing tall with an impassive face, when his grandfather woke. He waited patiently as the man shook himself slightly and blinked at the sight of Sirius.

"Grandfather," he said formally, bowing his head. He raised it again and found Arcturus watching him with proud eyes.

"Sirius," the man bowed his own head for a moment before he relaxed a bit, Sirius following his lead, though remaining standing. "I see you've finally claimed the House," he nodded at Sirius's hand where the House ring gleamed proudly. Sirius nodded shortly.

"Harry Potter is my priority now, along with James Potter's sister and my sister by heart, by blood, by oath and by vow, Mia Potter." Arcturus tilted his head with curiosity but said nothing about it yet. "There is a war, but I intent to right the Wizengamot when it is over. Mia and I will work together. I would say Harry and I, but Mia has more power in the House of Potter, and Harry… isn't the type for politics."

"I thought you said you weren't the type for politics, son," his grandfather retorted. If he didn't know better, he'd say the old coot was amused.

"Not then. But now I've got a family that deserves a better world. The family I had here, Walburga and Orion, they were filled with hate-,"

"Orion was not filled with hate, son," Arcturus's eyes flashed dangerously. "He didn't believe in any of that hooey the so called Dark Lord spewed, but the rest of this damn house did. He couldn't control you mother any better than I could, but we both tried."

"Orion only helped her-,"

"Did young Mia Potter never tell you of the conversation she had with your father?" The man quirked a curious eyebrow.

"Mia- what? When did she… Oh," he blinked. "The Ball."

"Yes," Arcturus agreed. "Orion spoke with her and came to me the next day asking if he could arrange a marriage contract between Mia Potter and your brother."

Sirius snorted laughter. "He what?"

"There is a rough draft of a contract between Mia and Regulus somewhere in my vaults," he informed his grandson. "I was going to present it to Charlus and Dorea, but then I fell ill and poor Mia went missing."

"He's courting her," Sirius laughed. "They're in love."

Arcturus beamed. "Then I suggest you find that contract."

"I guess I will," Sirius said with another huff of laughter. Mia was going to have words with Arcturus, that much he was sure of.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Where are we?" Ron called.

"Er- not sure. I apparated us to my aunt and uncle's old house where Sirius had set up an emergency portkey for us. I just have no clue where we are," Harry replied.

"Hello Master Harry Potter Sir!" A voice called happily. Harry winced. He knew that voice.

"Dobby?" He raised his wand and muttered a near silent " _Lumos_." They were in some sort of basement somewhere, he could tell that much. He turned around and spotted Ron pulling himself from the ground. He had been lying next to some sort of table – was that a t.v.? – and a weird looking lamp. There were no doors to be seen, but Harry didn't panic. They could probably apparate out. He looked around the room and found it was larger than he originally thought and was rather comfy. There was a small bathroom with a curtain around it, a kitchen with what seemed to be a stocked pantry and cooling cabinet. There was a living room with a couch, coffee table, and a t.v. He saw five cots placed next to a plethora of potions, muggle medicines, and other things that would belong in an infirmary like tourniquets and bandages. Finally, directly behind Harry was a small table with a note on it and two bowls that each held about sixty candy wrappers. He frowned at the sight and reached for the note, but Dobby spoke up.

"Is Master Harry Potter okay?" The elf asked in worry.

"We're okay Dobby. Where are we?"

"Dobby does-," he was cut off by another pop sounding in the room. All three of them turned to face another elf, and Dobby's ears fell to the side of his face. "Tilly."

"Dobby," the young elf said with a large sigh. "Come."

"Dobby is busy!" He demanded. The elf didn't seem to care. She grabbed Dobby's ear and they popped away, leaving two very confused wizards.

"What's that?" Ron asked after a few moments, pointing to the note. Harry shook himself and picked it up.

 _Harry,_

 _I'm sorry for not telling you where this would go. I thought it would be best if you didn't know where I set up our last line of defense. If it makes you feel better, no one does. We just know what it looks like. I've Obliviated the memories of Remus and then Tonks did mine. I had to do hers very carefully since I didn't know what all I was erasing. Moony nearly killed me for blinking! Let's hope I didn't erase their marriage!_

 _I set this place up for Order members who need somewhere to go and no safe houses are left. There should be two bowls of candy wrappers. They are all undetectable portkeys. One bowl is filled with ones that you can charm to where you need to go. The other bowl is filled with portkeys that send you back here. The bowls will refill when empty, as will the cupboards and the cooling cabinet._

 _I hope this letter finds you and your friends safe. I hope to see you again soon. Remember I am always with you._

 _All my love,_

 _Padfoot._

Harry read the letter twice before setting it down with a happy smile pulling at his lips. "It's safety."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Dorea?" Mia whispered, pulling the fabric from the portrait. The portrait was gorgeous, full of reds and blues and greens and just the perfect portrait for Dorea Potter nee Black.

"Oh, Mia my dear," the woman smiled brightly at her daughter. "I wondered when you'd be back home."

"I shouldn't be here," she said, ducking her head in guilt. Dorea looked at her with scolding eyes.

"This is your home, lovely. You're so very welcome here," Dorea said.

"Mum…" Mia whispered. Dorea's cool mask fell for a moment at the word. Mia hadn't called her that when she was there. The mask was back in a small moment and she smiled lovingly at the young girl.

"I know you've got some very hard times ahead of you," Dorea's voice was so familiar, so comforting that Mia thought she was going to fall into a million pieces. "but you're my strong little girl and you'll make it."

"What if my friends don't?" Mia asked anxiously. "Merlin, Avery smashed through these wards to get us here. He splinched himself doing so."

Dorea gave her a stern look. "The young man should not be smashing through wards! You and yours are perfectly welcome here if you apparate to the right place."

"I know," Mia said tiredly. "I still don't know why he did it." She paused before looking up. "You went to see Pandora Lovegood."

"Yes, I did," Dorea confirmed proudly.

"You told me once that you don't believe in prophecies."

"If they involve my little girl I do." Dorea proclaimed.

"Harry," Mia looked down. "Harry has a prophecy about him, mum. I should've told Jamie-,"

"You could do no such thing, Mia." Dorea said firmly. Mia blinked up at her. "You know you couldn't change the past even if you wanted to."

"'Neither can live while the other one survives,'" Mia quoted. "Have you ever heard the whole prophecy?"

"No," Dorea admitted.

"Then allow me," Mia said bitterly. "'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches,' Harry. 'Born to those who have thrice defied him,' Jamie and Lils. 'Born as the seventh month dies,' Harry again. 'And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal,' probably the scar when the Killing Curse rebounded. 'But he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not,' No one knows this one, though Dumbledore suggested the power is love. Harry thinks it's the Deathly Hallows, which I think is utter bullshit. 'And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives,' pretty self-explanatory." Mia sighed shakily. "I love Harry. He's my brother and my best friend."

"I'm so sorry, Mia dear," Dorea said sadly. "I know this war will be hard for you."

"It's war, mum. It's hard for everyone."

"You know our house words?" Dorea asked.

"Yes," Mia confirmed.

"Courage and Craft. I expect you to live up to those. Make them your rules throughout this war, my dear. Can you do that for me?" Her mother asked carefully. Mia thought about it for a long moment before nodding.

"Courage and Craft. I can do it."

"Mia!" A voice called, hurrying into the room. "The wards are pinging and won't respond because I'm not a Potter- oh." Mia turned to see Regulus hurrying into the room, only to stop dead in his tracks upon seeing Dorea. He bowed hastily and gave her a nervous smile. "Lady Potter."

"Enough with the formalities," the woman laughed, twinkle in eye. "I'm dead! Now go fix the wards."

And so Mia hurried out of the room with her boyfriend, feeling better than she had in a while.

Courage and Craft. She could do that.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Fucking hell," Sirius swore, rubbing his head with a sigh. "I need a bloody drink."

"Long talk?" Remus asked as he grabbed the muggle scotch. He poured Sirius a drink and put it away before he could convince himself to have his own. Sirius took a drink and relaxed as the alcohol burned down his throat, settling his tension slightly.

"Yes," Sirius sighed. "He's going to spy for me. He said he wants Harry safe and that Orion'd kill him if Mia wasn't safe as well."

"Orion?" Remus asked, choking on the water he was drinking.

"Yeah," Padfoot snickered at the sight. "Apparently he and Mia had a talk and he took a liking to her. Wanna hear something hilarious?"

"You'll tell me either way," Remus reminded his friend with a fond smile.

"Arcturus and Orion were working up a contract for Reg to petition for Mia's hand without their knowledge," Sirius grinned evilly, a grin that Remus hadn't seen since their Marauding days. Remus snorted inelegantly and laughed as he set his water glass on the counter.

"You're kidding."

"Not one bit," Sirius smirked. "Do you think they'd be mad if I sent in whatever good ol' dad worked up to Gringotts for the official courting Reg asked me about?"

"I think they'd put you six feet under, Pads," Remus laughed.

"Damn. That could've been fun."

"Anyway," Remus said, bringing the conversation back to his point. "Do you think they'll notice he's awake?"

"Nah," Sirius laughed. "No one pays attention to portraits there."

"Really?" The werewolf asked in surprise.

"Yeah. They've got their heads up their asses and are too cocky to be too suspicious."

"Are you sure? That doesn't seem right."

"Well it's worth a try either way," Sirius argued. "We won't bet a hundred on it, but it's a good chance at spying."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Some time skips are going to start. I'm having a shit load of issues getting chapters out. I know this one is kinda short but *shrug* it's the best I could get out. Hopefully I'll be back at it tomorrow.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Edit: I changed stuff. I'm gonna delete the chapter and post it again so you all get the heads up.**

 **I'm sorry again for chapter 31 being so short. I was having a hell of a time getting it worked out and decided it would be best to push myself by posting it like it was.**

 **Some of your reviews disappeared and I've only just found them, so I'll reply to what I've found.**

 **Alytiger: I wonder? Heh. As for Dobby… *shrug* Tilly was ordered to bring him to Mia, so… About your review for chapter 30: I actually started writing 31 as them going to the French house but it was just so dry and hard to write. As for Fred eavesdropping, I pretty much had the same thoughts as you. He knows how close the dear couple are and he still listened. Poor baby.**

 **M1sch1efManaged: I know it's short, but I did promise you a chapter soon! I'm kinda grateful that I did, or I'm not sure I'd have started writing again anytime soon. When this is all over Mia will definitely take Sirius, Harry, and Fred at least to see Dorea, though Remus will probably want to see her as well. About your review from chapter 30: yeah, that can really be seen from them going their separate ways for the Horcrux Hunt. It's kinda sad, but I'm sure they'll come around eventually.**

 **Guest from chapter 29: thank you! Hermione will be a somewhat constant companion for Mia now, and she'll be very useful every once in a while.**

 **Note: my ridiculous beta is trying to get me to plan a wedding between Tilly and Dobby. At the end of the war, what do you guys think about it?**

 **I made a Tumblr! It's Mia-Marauder-Potter because holy hell it's late and I came up with the name and ran with it after changing it on FF.N!**

 **Another note: my therapist tells me that I'm making this into too much of a burden and that if I need to slow down, I should, so if I don't update quite as often, that's why. Sorry! But anxious/stressed writing isn't always good writing.**

 **Chapter Thirty Two**

August 24th, 1997

"Tilly has Dobby, Mistress!" Mia was startled awake by the sudden sound and turned to see two elves wrestling on the end of her bed.

"I- er, thank you, Tilly." She pulled herself out of her bed and sat up.

"Missy Granger?" Dobby asked, confused.

"Mia Potter," she said softly. Dobby straightened with wide eyes. "You know who I am?"

"Tilly's Mistress!" He said excitedly.

"I- yeah."

"Tilly will get Mistress tea and Mistress's Reg," the elf said, popping out of the room.

"Dobby, I was wondering if you could tell Harry and Ron something for me," Mia said gently. The elf turned to her, his ears twitching. He nodded a little and she smiled tiredly. "Could you tell them that we're okay and that we're going to start the Hunt?"

"Yes, Missy Potter," Dobby nodded vigorously and Mia touched his arm gently.

"Do you know… are they okay?" She asked.

"Oh, yes!" Dobby told her happily. "They bes fine."

"Thank Merlin," Mia muttered. Tilly skipped back into the room, levitating a tray with tea behind her. A sleepy Regulus entered the room, finding her immediately and obviously scanning her to make sure she was okay. When he was pleased with her state, he dropped himself into bed next to her, causing Dobby to scowl, but the little elf said nothing. "Please remind them to use their DA Galleons if they're in trouble, if you can."

"You don't want to see them?" Regulus asked curiously. Mia shook her head guiltily.

"I don't wanna bring them into this if I don't have to," she explained. He gave her a curt nod and turned to the elves.

"I think that's all for tonight. Thank you for coming Dobby," the elf shot a short glare at Tilly before nodding.

"Anything for Master Harry Potter's friends!" He said before popping off.

"Thank you for waking me, Tilly," Regulus said kindly. The elf nodded happily and popped off as well.

"Why did she get you?" Mia asked, tilting her head. Regulus pulled her down after she set the tea on her bedside table and they curled under the blankets together, holding hands and staying close.

"Apparently Filly told her before she got back that you were having a nightmare or something."

"Oh," Mia blushed in the dark. Reg squeezed her fingers and she felt a hesitation there. "What is it?"

"I did some research while you were with Aunt Dorea," he said softly. Mia bit her lip anxiously.

"About?"

"About Horcruxes and the creation of Horcruxes," he muttered. There was a long pause before he continued. "I think I found another one."

"What?! What is it?" Mia asked excitedly, sitting up. Regulus squeezed her hand tighter and tried to pull her to lie down again, but she was too excited.

"Mia…" he cursed under his breath. "It's Harry."

"It- Harry… Harry isn't… he couldn't be… could he…?" She paused, biting her lip and stiffened slightly. "Regulus, he can't be."

"Think about it, Little Lion. He's got a direct connection to You-Know-Who. He refuses to let any other Death Eater kill Harry – it has to be Him that does it. There's so many signs pointing to it, love. I'm so sorry," Regulus tried to keep his composure, but how was that possible when his witch was near to tears because her brother had to die?

"We have to save him," she whispered.

"I know."

"I can't lose… I can't lose another brother."

"I promise that you won't."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

September 1st, 1997

"He's not here," Neville insisted fiercely. Luna nodded along, her face serene but eyes dark and daring. The Carrow twins looked them over closely before spitting at them and walking along. Luna put a hand on Neville's shoulder, calming him down. When the Carrows exited the car, they moved back into a private compartment and Neville set the privacy wards while Luna checked for Wrackspurts. Satisfied with their work, they sat down across from each other and got to business.

"How are they?" Neville asked nervously. Luna shrugged gently.

"The sad one got splinched. He's all better now, but Mia was quite upset," she explained softly. "They told me I should go to school and so I left."

"It's wonderful that they're alright," Neville said, genuinely relieved. "But Harry and Ron aren't with them?"

"Oh no," her voice turned dreamy, and Neville knew she was having a sort of a vision. "They must go their own until the night of triumph and they will all be stolen away and reunited under an awful coincidence."

"Shit," he swore. That didn't sound good. "But you don't believe in coincidences, do you?"

"Not so much." She shrugged lightly, offering a sweet smile. "Anything and everything is always meant to happen."

"So… is that like predestination or something?"

"If that's what you like to call it," she tilted her head with another smile. "They're all okay, Neville. You need to focus on the school. This will not be a fun year."

"With the Carrows here… I never assumed it would be."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

September 13th, 1997

"I thought you said her research had him at this orphanage!" Harry yelled, shooting curses over his shoulder as he ran.

"It did! How was I to know the place had a million bloody wards around it?!" Ron snapped back, fidgeting with his jacket to get a candy wrapper out.

"Mione would've known," Harry muttered quietly enough that Ron didn't hear. He shot a Reducto at one of the Death Eaters and watched the man drop, taking down another man with him. Good, Harry thought, now we just have five chasing us like madmen.

"It's gone!" Ron shouted nervously.

"What?!"

"I can't find it!"

"Grab my hand!" Harry screamed. Ron made his way to Harry while shouting curses and dodging them, running all the while. He grabbed Harry's hand hard and Harry stopped abruptly, twisting in spot and sending them flying.

They landed hard in a muggle area, surrounded by trees and weeds. They could see a house or two in the far distance but nothing else.

"Bloody hell," Ron swore, bending over to catch his breath.

"You lost the Portkey again!" Harry yelled angrily. "We could've died!"

"We always could've died," Ron countered, too tired to fight. Harry stayed silent for a few beats before dropping it.

"Help me set up the tent," he said. "We'll stay here for the night."

"Why don't we go back to the Bunker?" Ron asked, frustrated.

"You lost the bloody Portkey!" Harry snapped. How had he already forgotten? "We'll send Dobby to get us another one soon, but we need to rest before any more travel."

"Fine," Ron sighed. They made quick work of the tent and Harry set to the wards, waving his wand patiently and carefully in a pattern that reminded Ron of Hermione in a painful way. "We haven't found any more Horcruxes."

"I know," Harry said impatiently.

"I don't know what else it could be," Ron continued. "Or where, for that matter."

Harry sighed and finished the wards, waving his friend into the tent. He made them each a cup of hot tea and they sat at the table together.

"There was the Gaunt ring," he ticked off a finger, chewing his lip as he went through the list. "The diary, the locket which Mione and company have."

"That's all we have," Ron said with a nod. "How many did you say he would have?"

"Dumbledore said he thought Tom made seven," Harry breathed out slowly, rubbing his scar. It had been hurting nonstop for the past two weeks, and Harry didn't like it.

"So what's the common factor in them?" Ron said, ever the strategist.

"I suppose some sort of demented sentimentality," Harry suggested. "The Gaunt ring is his family ring, the diary was his diary from school, the locket is an heirloom of his."

"But it's Slytherin's locket, yeah?"

"Yeah," he confirmed.

"So maybe he got ahold of something belonging to the other founders?" Ron suggested. Harry paused and blinked.

"You know, that makes sense." Harry grinned brightly. "A bloody lead, finally."

"So what do we know of that belonged to the founders?"

"Er-," Harry ran his fingers through his hair. "No clue."

"Good thing I was raised in the Wizarding World," Ron laughed lightly. "There's Hufflepuff's cup," he offered.

"I guess so. What else?"

"Well, there's the sword of Gryffindor."

"No, Mione said Basilisk venom kills Horccruxes and the sword soaks up that which makes it stronger or something," Harry admitted sadly. It had been a good idea. "Which means it would've killed itself if it was."

"What about his dagger?"

"That might work!" He said enthusiastically.

"Alright," Ron continued. "I remember Charlie telling me about Ravenclaw's broach and tiara- er, diadem or something that she wore on her wedding day."

"Those would work. Do we know where any of these are?"

"No," Ron deflated slightly. "Apparently the diadem has been lost forever. The rest of it, I've no clue."

"Well, it's a start," Harry said happily. They finally had a solid lead.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

September 19th, 1997

"When You-Know-Who asked me for Kreacher, Malfoy and Bellatrix were there," Regulus said softly, drawing circles on Mia's hand. The couple sat on Avery's bed and talked as Tilly and Filly fussed over the injured and extremely annoyed boy.

"He made me wait to see him last. They each came out with something. Malfoy had a book and Bella had some sort of fancy cup," he explained. Mia's eyes lit up.

"Hufflepuff's cup," she offered. They'd talked about the possibility of the founder's heirlooms being used as Horcruxes.

"I do believe so, yes."

Mia chewed her lip, eyes alight with ideas and plans. "Where do you think she put it?"

"Well, she was staying with Malfoy, and He wouldn't want so many in the same place. I imagine it must be in her vaults. It's the safest place for it."

"Good point. Gringott's is impossible to break into," Mia sighed softly.

"How do we plan on destroying them?" Avery asked, pushing the elves away once again.

"The sword," Mia shrugged. "Draco can get it to me, I'm sure of it."

"Severus isn't the same person he used to be," Regulus warned. "Are you sure he'll help?"

"Yes," Mia stated firmly. She had full faith in her friend. "Right now he's unwaveringly faithful to the memory of Lily Potter. If he thinks sending me the sword will help to honor that memory, then I have no doubt that he will."

Avery's lips twitched at the sides, an amused smile gracing his face. "How very cunning, Miss Potter."

"One might say that's quite… Slytherin of you," Regulus added, laughing softly. Mia scowled at them but said nothing in reply.

"So, when will we have it?" Avery asked, directing them back to the subject at hand.

"Soon."

"I hope you're right to trust them, Sano," Regulus said with a worried sigh. He brought her close and nuzzled her neck, thankful for the loving closeness. Avery hid a smile and drank his tea, finally obeying the overbearing house elves.

"I'm always right," she replied, winking. The boys shared a look. Neither would ever correct her on that.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Severus stared down at the note in his hands, lips thin and curled into a deep frown.

 _Granger needs the sword to end this._

It wasn't signed, but it didn't need to be. He would recognize Draco's handwriting anywhere. He sighed shortly. Sometimes he hated being a spy. He tapped his desk with his fingers before walking over to the one Headmaster's portrait that was still awake: Albus Dumbledore.

"Sir," he nodded his head in respect.

"Severus, my boy. What can I do for you today?" Albus asked quietly, twinkle in eye.

"Draco has informed me that the Granger girl needs the sword," he explained. As always, the most curious thing happened when Severus mentioned her. The twinkle left Albus's eyes for a mere moment before the man plastered on a fake smile. He'd never understood it and it had never happened with any of the other teachers.

"I see," the old Headmaster said calmly. "And you're wondering whether she truly needs it and how to get it to her."

"Yes," Severus confirmed, keeping his tone carefully neutral.

"It is true, I'm afraid," he said, smile turning sad. "Without giving them the sword, we will never win this war."

Severus waited a moment as he processed this. While he did wonder what was so special about it, he acknowledged the fact that he couldn't know. Plausible deniability was too great of a backup in case his Occlumency failed him. "And how do I get it to them?"

"Oh, that is simple, my boy! Use your Patronus!"

"I don't-,"

"It must be more than corporeal, Severus," Dumbledore interrupted. "It must be solid."

"But that's impossible!"

"No," and the twinkle was gone. The man looked as if he were remembering something or someone, and Severus's thoughts drifted quickly to Lily. He shook himself before he could get lost. "You simply must feel the very happiest you have ever been… the very happiest you've ever felt, even if you don't remember why or how," he instructed gently. Severus paused for a few long moments before summoning the sword and pulling his wand.

"Expecto Patronum!" He yelled. He thought of meeting Lily and her immediate acceptance of him. He remembered the day he was pushed down by the Marauders and how she helped him up and washed the dirt off his robes and took him to the kitchens for hot cocoa. He thought of his best friend. He remembered the wonderful girl that would do anything for him when he was wronged and would make him smile just by being there.

A silver doe leaped from his wand, and he sagged in disappointment when it was still just a silver mist. "I don't understand."

"Was that the happiest you've ever felt, my boy?" Albus asked as gently as possible.

"That was my happiest memories," Severus snapped.

"Ah, but was it the happiest you've ever felt?" Albus raised an eyebrow and Severus looked away, refusing to admit it out loud. He raised his wand and repeated the spell, reaching inside of himself.

Instead of thinking, he just felt. He felt the happiness from Lily and their friendship, but he felt an equal if not stronger happiness from something he couldn't quite understand, something that he had no memory of. He pulled on it like he was tightening a loose string, and looked up to find a beautiful, solid silver doe standing in front of him, shifting impatiently and waiting for orders. He quickly set aside his curiosity and gave the beautiful creature orders to deliver the sword and make sure they found it before falling into a chair.

"What was that?" He asked the old man in wonder.

"Ah, that was the happiest time of your life, my boy."

"I can't remember it," he informed the man, though he figured he already knew.

"All in due time," Albus promised softly. "All in due time."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

October 4th, 1997

"Mistress Mia, wake up!" Tilly shook Mia hard, jolting her out of a deep sleep. "There bes something at the edge of the wards trying to get in!"

"Shit," Mia muttered, grabbing her wands from the bedside table. She sent a quick patronus to each of the boys before padding her way out of the manor to meet a beautiful doe outside.

"Where did you come from?" She whispered curiously. The doe dropped something from its mouth and Mia realized with a start that the thing was solid. "Holy Circe." She bent down to grab the object as her boys came running out, wands in hand. She felt Regulus put his hand on the small of her back as she grinned at him, holding the sword in her hands.

"Look!" She petted the doe gently and it nuzzled her hand sweetly before it ran off, disappearing into a silver mist and then turning into nothing.

"Is that-,"

"The Sword!"

"Holy mother of Merlin," Avery breathed.

"We can kill the locket!" She squealed happily. She grabbed it from around her neck and set it down on the ground, but Regulus grabbed her hand before she could try and stab it.

"Be careful. Apparently these things like to fight back."

"I know," she said, waving off the warning. "Harry told me the Diary tried to kill him."

"Remember we're right here with you, Sano," Avery told her.

She smiled at them both and approached the locket.

She swung the sword up…

Her grip tightened as she pulled it down fast…

And she was pushed away abruptly, a black fog drifting out of the Horcrux. She let out a soft gasp as images formed before her.

James and Lily looked at Mia sadly. Lily was pregnant. Sirius and Remus walked in and took their positions next to the couple. The four of them looked at her with sadness and regret.

"Why didn't you save us?" James asked.

"You didn't even try!" Lily said angrily.

"You let me rot in Azkaban for twelve years, Mia," Sirius shook his head, betrayal stinging his eyes.

"I was all alone for years because of you," Remus accused. "You could've saved everyone, but you didn't."

"I couldn't!" She yelled back. "We have no idea what would've happened-,"

"You took me from my family and friends," Avery said, bright with anger as he joined the group. "It's your fault that I left everyone. I shouldn't have come with you!"

"I don't love you," Regulus informed her as he formed in the black fog. "I could've changed everything if you had let me. People died because of you and I'm disgusted. I don't love you, Mia. I never did."

"Mia, stab the fucking horcrux!" She heard an angry, tight voice yell. She blinked the tears away and shook her head, running at the horcrux and stabbing it. She gripped the sword tightly as the fog receded into the locket. After a few moments, the thing was dead and laid completely still on the ground.

Mia's eyes were glued on the object. All of her fears that she'd been avoiding… She realized to some extent that she was shaking violently and probably sobbing. Regulus and Avery both ran to her, free of the fog that had been forcing them to stay in place. Mia felt two pairs of arms wrap around her and she leaned into them even as she debated if she wanted to be touched at all.

"Mia love?" Regulus said softly.

"'m here," she muttered.

"We love you," he replied, shifting so she was lying against both him and Avery. Both boys grabbed one of her hands and held on tightly.

"I love you, too," she said. They stayed like that for a long time. By the time they got up, the sun was peaking over the trees.

"Well, regardless, tonight was good," Mia said firmly.

"Oh?"

"Yes. We've got the sword and destroyed the locket. We're one step closer to defeating Voldemort-,"

There was a loud crack and Mia gasped sharply as she realized someone had apparated and they were outside of the wards. The person or people were too close by to slip into the wards without raising suspicion. Mia cursed aggressively as she heard people running closer.

"Sorry!" She said and hit her boys with multiple stinging hexes. She threw them at their faces but especially at their Dark Marks. She was extremely grateful when the Mark scrambled along with the skin.

It was all too soon when they were surrounded. She heard a dark laugh and then she was hit and the world went dark.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Bloody Godric's Hallow!" Ron screamed in frustration as he battled a Death Eater. He glanced at Harry and was once again unsettled to see that Harry's face was swollen, cut, and bruised. He looked nothing like himself and, quite frankly, rather gross.

"Sorry!" Harry shot back, voice muffled.

They battled on for what felt like forever before Ron was disarmed, snuck up on by someone behind him. Harry was taken not too long after that, and they were brought to Malfoy Manor, one of the Snatchers claiming that Harry looked like… well, Harry.

They apparated outside the gates at the same time as another group, and Ron was horrified to see that the other group had prisoners as well – Mia, Regulus, and Avery.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Oh, thank you," Luna said softly. The guard grunted at her and shut the door. She took the food over to Griphook, Olivander, Jess, and Kat and split it into fifths. They always shared meals as they were rare and Luna didn't like eating when no one else was.

She was spooning some rather cold soup onto another part of the plate when she froze. Ollivander looked down at her in worry.

"Miss Lovegood?" He asked gently.

"They're here," she sighed, frowning slightly.

"The ones you said would save us?" The old man asked, hope thickening his words. Luna nodded sadly.

"I'm afraid so," she replied.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Is this him?!" Bellatrix screeched. Draco flinched at the volume. He had a migraine from her aggressive form of insanity that the Black family was so famous for.

Draco stared painfully at the so-called Chosen One, eyes begging him to just not be here. He had Mia to help him and that was fine, but Potter was destined to kill Voldemort. The man in front of him was his best chance at living a safe life, but more, it was his best chance at his mother being safe and happy. As much as he was the cold Slytherin that didn't care, Draco Malfoy was afraid. He was afraid of death and he was afraid of torture and he was terrified of a world in which Voldemort won this war. Without Potter, Draco knew there was no hope. So he tried so hard to convey his desperation in the look he shared with his school nemesis as his aunt prodded him to confirm his identity. He closed his eyes tightly. "I can't be sure," he mumbled. Potter's eyes widened for a second before he closed them again.

"You have to!" His aunt yelled in frustration. "Do you know what the Dark Lord will do to us if we call and it isn't him?!"

"Bella," his mother interrupted, irritation written all over her. "Stop yelling. It isn't his fault if he can't tell. The boy is rather swollen, after all."

His aunt seemed to consider this. "Fine," she snapped, twirling her wand about her fingers. "At least we have the mudblood and her boyfriend." His aunt laughed cruelly, dancing about the room before she stopped in her tracks at the sight of a Snatcher holding a beautiful sword. She turned to him, wand raised. "Where did you get that?!"

"I found it on the girl," he explained quickly.

"That's not possible!" She yelled.

"It's just where I got it!" The man responded. His aunt twirled, eyes flashing, and killed all of the Snatchers in a beat. She turned around and yelled at Wormtail to send all of the boys – Draco thought that the two with the stinging curses must be Regulus and Avery since Mia didn't go anywhere without them – to the cellar. The rat obliged and soon they were being dragged away, Granger- no, Potter, left alone with the Death Eaters. Narcissa waved at Draco to come to her, and he did. He knew what was about to happen and he was terrified.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"No!" Regulus screamed painfully. Avery's eyes widened and he pulled his robes open in horror to find the mark – Mia's mark – glowing once again. "No!" Regulus screamed again, tears falling. They could all hear her screams and cries. Harry and Ron were staring at the door to the cellar in pain and frustration. Ron was cursing loudly as Harry balled his hands into fists.

It was a long time before they stopped, and Avery's only comfort that Mia was alive was the mark on his chest. He held Regulus and tried to comfort him, but he couldn't do much. The man was terrified for his witch.

Luna, two girls who were likely sisters, the wandmaker, and the goblin had all joined Harry and Ron, who were sitting just a little bit apart from Regulus and Avery. The older sister put a hesitant hand on Harry's shoulder in silent comfort, as if she understood the pain of being separated from a sibling. They sat quietly for a few minutes before Wormtail came back down to fetch the goblin. They were gone for ten minutes before the rat brought him back down. Harry and Ron shared a look and ambushed him.

"I saved your life!" Harry told him viciously. "You owe me a life debt."

"I-I-," Peter stuttered, trying to think of a way out.

"Let us out! Let us out and help us save Hermione!" Harry ordered. Peter glanced between everyone and, upon seeing the truly murderous look on everyone's faces, nodded.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"I didn't steal it," Mia cried. "I didn't take it."

"Liar!" Bellatrix spat. She pulled a knife from her robes and brought it to Mia's arm. Draco looked away in horror. The blade was cursed and he knew it. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly upon hearing Mia's screams. He took a shaky breath. She had offered him safety and he was watching her be tortured. It wasn't right.

He was desperately trying to think of a way to help when Potter slammed out of the basement and disarmed his aunt in the blink of an eye. Draco blinked and grabbed his mother's wand before she could help her sister.

"No," he muttered. "Not this time." He shared a long look with Narcissa but the woman subsided, sweeping into the library and out of the room. Harry spun around while Ron helped Mia and glared at Draco. He disarmed the boy before he could even speak or show some proof he was on their side. Draco growled and dropped his mother's wand as Potter moved on.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Cousin," Regulus snarled. His face had gone back to normal already.

"You're dead!" Bellatrix snapped.

"Evidentially not," Regulus said calmly. He tossed around ideas for how to kill her when one stuck out. " _Levicorpus_." His cousin shrieked as she flew up in the air. He grinned like a feral dog. " _Sectumsempra_ ," he muttered. The spell slashed through her once. He repeated it and the spell slashed through her again. Over and over he did this until Avery wrestled his wand away, yelling that she was dead.

"She deserved more pain!" Regulus yelled.

"You gave her a bloody painful death!" Avery argued. "And there's nothing to do about it!"

"Dean was here," Luna said with a small frown as she walked up, interrupting the brewing argument. "I don't know where he's gone."

"Dean Thomas?" Draco asked gently. Luna nodded, the frown dropping just a little when she saw Draco. "He was… there's a room for the captured muggleborns. He's there."

"That's disgusting," Avery sighed. "Where?"

"Third door on the right," Draco sighed. "He's probably the only one in there right now."

"I'll get him," Luna said sweetly, walking out before anyone could respond.

"Will she be safe?" Avery asked, mildly alarmed.

"No," Draco growled. "Father is home. I'll go with her."

After he left the room, Regulus stood and walked to Mia again. She was sitting up now, but on the floor leaning against the wall. Harry and Ron were close by, watching her carefully. She had refused to talk to anyone since they'd saved her. He sat down next to her and quietly healed what he could.

It took a while before he'd finished, and when he did, Luna was walking back in with Draco and Dean. Draco held a large box in his hands and set it on the table.

"I've got your wands here," the Slytherin sighed. "You should all go. You won't be safe here much longer."

"Dobby can help," the elf announced, popping in.

And so they gathered around the elf after finding their wands, each of them grabbing onto him gently. It was a tight fit, but Dobby popped away just in time, Lucius opening the door to the study, landing hard on the sand.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Yeah idk I tried. I feel much better getting this out of the way.**

 **Onto Shell Cottage! How do you think Bill will feel about Mia being all… hurt? Yikes.**

 **I hope you enjoyed, and remember to review.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Let's welcome Jess and Kat in this chapter! They'll be somewhat important characters. So. There will be a bit more of them in this chapter before people move on from Shell Cottage. Hopefully you guys will like them!**

 **Alytiger: I agree that it wasn't one of my best chapters, and so I did tweek it and stuff. I know I didn't do well with Harry and Ron but idk. Also, the torture part in general… I don't know. I wanted it to be vague. I didn't know if I could flesh it out more. But I've got a good few days ahead of me so hopefully when I get back, I'll be rejuvenated and my muse will settle again.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Thirty Three**

October 4th, 1997

"Bill, the wards!" Fluer yelled. Bill's eyes widened and he sprinted out the door immediately, wand up. He ran down to the beach where the wards had pinged and found an awful sight. His breath caught and he ran to the group of teenagers, ignoring any safety questions he knew he should've asked. He looked over those closest to him – Harry, Ron, Griphook, Olivander, Dean Thomas, and two girls he didn't know – and found them alright. His eyes slid to the other group. Luna Lovegood was fussing over an elf, thanking him sweetly for saving them. Regulus and Avery were… Merlin, they were calming down a stoic Mia. He rushed to them and pushed the Slytherins away from the girl.

"Mia? Mia, look at me," he muttered softly. She was shaking as she looked up at him, and he ignored her boyfriend glaring darkly at him. Her eyes were puffy and dark and he gently gathered her into his arms. "You're safe."

It took them a while to get inside. Everyone seemed very worried about Mia, but she wouldn't let go of Bill. He knew what had happened – it had happened with him and Fluer when he'd been scratched. She'd accidentally bonded herself to him. He'd felt it the moment he hugged her. It was something that happened often when someone magical was badly harmed – physically or mentally. It connected two people that trusted each other on a magical level. The person that was hurt would pull on the other's magic to heal. It was most common for family to have the bond, but it was completely spontaneous, so it was extremely unpredictable.

While the person who was hurt wouldn't want to be away from the other person, the unharmed half would be extremely protective and would care for the hurt party. So when Ron made a snide comment about Mia ignoring him, Bill got angry.

"She's hurt, you blithering idiot! Of course she doesn't give a shit about you right now!" He yelled.

"Well, then why does she care about you?" Ron snapped back. Bill's glare darkened dangerously.

"Healing bond," Regulus said sharply. "They bonded."

"How did you-," Bill started, but Regulus cut him off.

"Mother hurt Sirius very badly a few times, and he always bonded to me because I was… the only one that loved him," he explained. "The bonds are common between family, but most common between siblings. I'm not surprised she picked you, though if Sirius were here it likely would've been him."

"Exactly," Fluer said, walking down the stairs. "So don't crowd them, yes? Mia will need to rest." Bill shot a grateful glance to his wife before silently moving up the stairs with Mia and settling her into a guest room. She didn't argue when he handed her a calming draught and dreamless sleep. Once she drifted off, he placed a kiss on her head and slipped from the room.

"How… how is she?" Avery asked nervously. Bill sighed. Of course he was waiting out there.

"Sleeping," he said with a sigh. "Better than I expected, honestly. I've seen a few people after they've been tortured by that woman. They're usually a blubbering mess."

"Well, it's not Mia's first time," Avery said tightly. Bill looked at him in surprise but decided against asking.

"What happened there?" He asked. No one had really explained.

"We got captured outside of the wards," Avery began. "Mia said You-Know-Who's name and we were caught by Snatchers. They took us to Malfoy Manor. I don't know how or why, but Harry and Ron were there, too. Bellatrix saw the Sword of Gryffindor and thought Mia had stolen it, so we were all taken to the cellar and…" he shook his head a little. "Harry and Ron called in some life debt from Pettigrew and he helped us out. Reg killed Bellatrix, and Draco helped us get our wands and saved that muggleborn. Dobby took us here when Lucius started to come in the room."

"At least she's dead," Bill sighed thankfully.

"Dinner," Fluer called to them from the bottom of the stairs. Bill ran his fingers through his long hair.

"Go," Avery said. "I'll stay."

Bill hesitated. His magic wanted to be with the broken girl, but he knew he needed to talk with Fluer and check in on everyone else. He nodded shortly and made his way down the stairs before he could change his mind. When he got into the kitchen, he pecked Fluer's cheek lovingly and sat at the table as she set a plate down in front of him.

"It's good," his wife said, sitting next to him. "that she bonded with you. I trust you with her." Bill was reminded again how much his wife liked Hermione and now Mia.

"Is she family to you?" he asked as he took a bite of the roll she'd placed on the plate next to the pasta. Fluer nodded gently.

"She is like a sister. She is a very rare type of girl, is she not?" she tilted her head a bit. "I love her like I love Gabrielle. She and I bonded two summers ago."

"So you truly don't mind the bond?" He knew there was nothing they could do about it anyway, but he wanted to ask.

"Of course not," Fluer said with a loving smile. "Just help her heal."

"Of course."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"It's not the same," Mia observed.

"Why would it be? You're different than the first time," Hermione replied gently.

"It hurt more," she admitted. "but… mentally, I'm more okay than I was last time. And…"

"And the word?" Hermione asked, nodding at Mia's arm. Mia glanced down at it and grimaced.

"I don't know. It doesn't affect me the same as it would've done last year. I'm not the same person. I'm not ashamed of my muggle parents, but… I'm not a muggleborn anymore, am I?"

"No," Hermione agreed. "You're pureblood because of the adoption."

"So what does it mean, then, if I have this word carved into my arm?"

"What do you want it to mean?"

"I think… nothing. Because even when I was muggleborn, I wasn't… that," Mia explained.

"So what are you going to do?" Hermione asked.

"Heal," Mia said, determined. "and then fight."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Moony," Sirius whined. "Do you _have_ to go?"

"Yes," Remus replied with little patience. "Dora's waiting for me, you know that."

"Mini Tonks can wait."

" _Dora_ cannot wait." Remus said sharply.

"But there's something wrong! What if-,"

They were interrupted by a Stag running into the room. Sirius's heart clenched at the sight, and Remus's eyes widened.

"We were taken to Malfoy Manor. We escaped to Shell Cottage. There's… a lot to tell you. Mia's hurt but asleep. We're not allowed to go in her room for the night. We need you if you can come."

"Fuck," Sirius muttered. Remus nodded his head in agreement.

"I'll tell Dora I won't be coming home tonight," Remus said softly. He made it quick – just sent his own Patronus. His wife had responded immediately, telling him to take care of his best friend and to come home when she was better.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Jess, get off me," Kat whined even as she hugged her sister tighter.

"Nope," Jess replied shortly. Kat felt a hysterical laugh bubble in her stomach but pushed it down.

"We should talk to them," the younger girl suggested reluctantly.

"By that I guess you mean I should talk to them while you smile?" Jess raised an eyebrow at her little sister, and Kat blushed slightly, ducking her head. Jess kicked the sand softly.

"They did save us."

"I know."

"So we should probably talk to them," Kat tried again. Jess was spared a reply as a crack sounded around them and two panicked looking men appeared. The girls pulled out of their long hug and both grabbed their wands, pointing them at the men.

"Who the hell are you?" One of the men asked. He had long, ebony hair. His eyes were a startling molten silver, and his mouth was set.

"Who the hell are you?" Kat snapped back, grabbing her big sister's hand tightly.

"Kat!" Jess scolded. She looked at the men with a slight apology, but didn't lower her wand.

"He said it first!" Kat protested. "Yell at him."

"I can't, we don't know him!" Jess reasoned.

"Who cares? He was rude," Kat said with a huff.

"We still don't know him!"

"Does that mean I can-,"

"No you can't hex him," Jess said, exasperated.

"Are you two sisters?" A sandy haired man asked, obviously slightly amused.

"How can you tell?" They replied simultaneously, sarcasm tinging their words.

"Pads, they remind me of you and James," the man laughed shortly.

"We did not talk like that!" The other man huffed.

"Sirius!" The four of them turned to see Harry running down to the shore from the house. "Remus!"

"Harry," Jess and Remus said together. They blinked, startled, and Kat and Sirius snorted in amusement. Harry reached them quickly and looked between the four.

"Oh. Er- Sirius, Remus, this is Jess and Kat. They were in the cellar when we were at the Manor," Harry explained quickly.

"Kat?" Sirius said, amused.

"Like 'Sirius' is any better," Kat snorted. "And you don't seem to resemble your name."

"He really doesn't," Remus laughed.

"I resent that," Sirius muttered.

"Can you not insult strangers?" Jess lectured quietly.

"He did it first," Kat replied with a pout, but otherwise stayed quiet.

"And you threatened to hex me," Sirius pointed out.

"Not threatened, asked Jessie if I could," Kat corrected cheekily.

"Remus," Jess said, shoving her hair behind her ears and interrupting the pair. "After the brother of Romulus? He was raised by wolves, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, probably," Kat said with a smirk. "Remember when I wrote about Professor Lupin?"

"Oh," Jess said, a smile forming. "The one you-,"

"Jessica, I will hex your face off," Kat snapped. Jess smirked as Sirius and Remus shared a look. Remus stepped a bit closer and looked at Kat again.

"Kat…" he thought for a moment. "Kailynn Miles?"

Kat cringed. "Please don't call me that."

"You're in Slytherin," Harry said suddenly.

"So?" Jess asked defensively. Kat grabbed her hair nervously.

"Jess was a Ravenclaw," she informed them. "Does it really matter what House we were in?"

"I know the Miles family," Sirius said suddenly, looking at the girls with renewed interest. "Mother hated them. They had a seat in the Wizengamot and was the exact opposite politically as her."

"Your mother?" Kat asked, eyebrow quirked. Sirius scowled.

"Awful woman, Walburga Black," he said.

"Merlin, our dad had stories about her," Jess said, remembering the woman. Kat nodded silently, looking at the group without a word. She poked Jess gently and her sister shot her an understanding look. "We'll let you talk."

And they left quietly, walking closely together back to the house.

"Thanks," Kat muttered. Jess squeezed her hand.

"You get understandably snippy when you get anxious," Jess said with a shrug.

"So do you!" Kat said defensively. "And if it's social anxiety, I'm just quiet. Not snippy."

"Either way, you wanted out of there," Jess soothed. "Why don't we get some hot chocolate and see if they have anything to read?"

"Sounds good," Kat said softly. "I miss your bookcase."

"So do I," Jess sighed.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"They're odd," Sirius said. "I like them."

"I remember Kailynn – Kat – a bit," Remus said. "She wasn't very close to anyone, especially in her House. Her and her sister are blood traitors, and I think their parents are dead." Harry nodded, watching as the girls walked away.

"So?" Sirius asked enthusiastically.

"She's alright, I guess," Harry sighed. "She's asleep. Avery and Regulus are standing guard outside her room. Something happened with Bill when we got here or something."

"What do you mean?" Remus asked gently.

"I don't know," he shook his head, his dark hair rearranging itself. "Some sort of bond?"

"A healing bond?" Sirius suggested, memories flooding him of Regulus helping him after his mother went overboard.

"I think so," Harry nodded.

"Well, that's good," Remus tried for an upbeat tone. "She'll heal faster."

"How's Fluer feel about that?"

"She's fine with it. She actually seemed glad," Harry shrugged, clueless.

"She did like Mia enough to have her hold the necklace," Remus reminded Harry.

"How are you?" Sirius asked his godson gently.

"I don't know," Harry sighed, tapping his fingers together anxiously. "It was horrible."

"I know," Sirius winced. "Were you hurt?"

"Not really," he sighed uncomfortably. "Pettigrew… he's dead." Sirius and Remus froze, and Harry felt mildly guilty, but he kept talking before they could interrupt. "I called in the life debt he owed me and he let us out, but his hand choked him to death. We… there was nothing we could do."

"Good," Sirius announced darkly. "The rat deserved it."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

October 5th, 1997

"Let go," Mia complained, hitting Sirius's back. The man squeezed her once more before letting go. Remus shot them an amused grin and sat back.

"We're glad you're okay," the werewolf said. "Padfoot here has just missed you since you guys left."

"I know. I missed you guys, too. We were at Potter Manor, though," she informed them.

"You were?" Sirius asked, surprised.

"Yeah. Did you know Filly and Tilly have been looking after the place this entire time?" Mia asked quietly.

"Not really," Remus said with a shrug. "I'm not keyed into the wards, and Sirius didn't have much of a chance to do anything until… well, you brought him back."

"Dorea's got a portrait," Mia said quietly. "I imagine Charlus does, too."

"Oh."

"We'll all go see her," she assured them. "Us and Fred and Harry. When the war is over."

"Right. That sounds good," Sirius said quietly. Mia sighed and grabbed his hand before grabbing Remus's hand with her free one.

"We'll all be okay. We have to. We'll live," she told them. She meant it. They all had people counting on them. Sirius had Harry and, to a lesser extent, herself. Remus had Tonks and Teddy and, again to a lesser extent, herself. And Mia… Mia had Regulus and Avery and all of her boys that went in head first and need help. Mia had Sirius and Remus because sometimes they were both a little too self-sacrificing for her liking. She had Harry and Ron, because after the war was over, they'd be together again and that's how they're supposed to be. Mia had the twins, both pairs, because all of them were troublemakers but they were her troublemakers. She had Ginny, because the girl was a sister to her and a best friend even, and she knew that Ginny would probably go mad without her. She had Mrs. Weasley and even Mr. Weasley, because they'd been her magical parents since she was eleven.

But she also had Jamie and Lily and Charlus and Dorea and Mary and Marlene and Frank and Alice. She had her family that counted on her because she was their best bet at saving the Wizarding World and their loved ones. She had them because she needed them. She had them because she would need to mourn them when the war ended, and she couldn't do it a moment before.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

October 12th, 1997

"Come here," Kat hissed. Jess looked up from her book and cocked an eyebrow.

"Tell me you're not spying," she said after a moment. Her sister had the look on her face that she always used when listening to things she shouldn't hear.

Kat scowled. "It's not spying if I do it well and have an excuse in case I'm caught… which I never am."

"I catch you all the time," Jess replied with an eye roll.

"Ah, yes, but usually I don't actually care enough. Sometimes I'm just doing it to get your attention." She grinned. "And it works."

"You're a brat," her sister groaned. It was true – the girl had always been on her heels, always wanting to do whatever she was doing. It had been annoying for some years, but they grew out of that. The girls had always been close growing up, and considered themselves best friends. They had the magical link that twins usually had, and they often joked about how their parent's wouldn't have survived their childhood if they'd actually been twins

"And darn proud of it," Kat replied happily, carefully avoiding swearing. "So, you wanna listen?"

"No," Jess lied, even as she stood and strode across the room to her little sister. Kat grinned and turned her ear to the door silently. Whatever spell she'd cast on it had worked wonderfully; they could hear every word.

"…not sure how to continue," they heard Harry say.

"Yeah, we've been rather pathetic without Mione," Ron admitted with a short if slightly bitter laugh.

"I think," Mia said as she walked down the stairs and into the room. "We need to work together again."

"Mione," Harry said in surprise.

"We destroyed the locket," she continued. "Before we were captured. A patronus brought us the sword – it was from Sev," there was a beat of silence and Kat swore she could hear the girl roll her eyes. "Severus."

Jess let out a sharp gasp. "I thought he killed Dumbledore!"

"He's not evil, really," Kat defended sharply. "I've never believed her just killed the Headmaster without reason other than pressure from some Death Eaters."

"You're biased," Jess replied. Kat scowled at her but didn't deny it. She'd had a soft spot for her head of house ever since her first year. He'd always been nicer to her than others, and she figured it was because they were both loners in the end, even if Kat had Jess. She knew that without her sister, she'd likely be just as bitter and angry as the potions master.

"…many more Horcruxes?" Ron asked. Jess gasped sharply and her eyes widened. Kat sent her a worried look but stayed silent. They could talk about it later.

"Four, probably," Mia replied darkly. Kat laughed softly at the size of her sister's eyes. She looked ridiculous.

"Do we know what they are?" Harry asked hopefully. Mia sighed and Kat imagined she shrugged.

"Probably heirlooms of the founders."

"That's what we thought," Ron informed her happily.

"Right. Well… we think we know where one is," she told them grimly. "And what it is."

"Really?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Yes," another voice said, and Kat heard more footsteps coming down the stairs. "When I… offered Kreacher to Voldemort, Malfoy and Bella saw Him first while I waited. Malfoy got the diary, and Bella got a Cup. From the descriptions and what we can assume, we believe it to be Hufflepuff's Cup." There was some shifting as Regulus took his seat. "She was staying with Malfoy when she received it, so it would be in her vaults."

"Why not with her?" Harry asked curiously. Regulus scoffed.

"Too many eggs in one basket. Two Horcruxes in the same spot would be too risky," Mia explained gently. She sounded tired.

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Ron questioned.

"We have to get to her vaults," Harry sighed.

"Yeah, but you can't break into Gringott's," Ron reflected. Kat shared a look with her sister. They were brilliant together. Before Jess could stop her, she pulled the door open and offered a cheeky grin. "Maybe you can't, but we probably could," she announced. In the blink of an eye, Regulus had removed Mia from his lap, placed her back on the chair, and had Kat at wand point against the wall. Kat bit her lip. That would not bode well for him.

She was right. There was a bright flash of angry magic that blinded everyone for a moment. When it was gone, Regulus was glued to the wall like a fly, and Jess was standing protectively in front of her little sister. They all gaped at her even as Mia moved to release and assist her boyfriend.

"I told you being a cheeky idiot was going to get you hurt one day," Jess growled in annoyance. She didn't want to cause trouble with the people that had saved them.

"I'm offering our assistance!" Kat shot back. She dropped her head on her sister's shoulder from behind, swiping her long hair out of the way.

"What the hell was that?" Regulus asked when he was unglued and standing in front of the soon to be bickering sisters.

"That was twin magic!" Ron exclaimed. "But you're not twins. I don't understand."

"Neither do we," they said together. They shared a quick look and Kat let Jess talk for them. "We've always been like this. Almost twins, but not quite. I raised Kai after our parents died, and we got a lot closer in that time. That's when it started happening, like bursts of accidental magic for a child. The first time was when I visited during Hogsmeade and some Slytherin girls were cornering Kat. It was awful and she was about to hex them into oblivion. She grabbed for her wand but one of them – Parkinson, I think – got hers out quicker. The second it was aimed at my baby sister, I got so mad and scared, and suddenly all of the girls disappeared in a flash of light."

Kat smirked. "They were found in the middle of the Black Lake." Ron snorted a laugh.

"That's amazing," Mia breathed, looking at the girls like they were possible test subjects. Kat shot an alarmed look at Harry, who just seemed confused.

"I don't understand. What's twin magic?" He asked.

"Haven't you noticed Fred and George have entire conversations silently?" Mia asked. Harry shrugged a yes. "Or their empathic tendencies toward each other?"

"We have that," Jess rolled her eyes. "She uses it to baby me."

"Because you don't take care of yourself," Kat admonished. She really didn't. Both girls had chronic migraines, and Jess seemed to refuse to take anything unless Kat gave it to her without asking.

"And then, as you can see, there's protective abilities, as well," Mia said with a frown. "Although that doesn't usually develop until the pair is more mature."

The sisters shared a look before turning back to her. "We're at war," Kat said with a shrug.

"And if you didn't notice, we were just in a cellar alongside your kidnapped friends," Jess reminded them.

"Our parents died and Jessie had to take care of me," the younger girl continued.

"And before that, we didn't have a normal childhood, really," Jess said with a sigh. They had been through a lot.

"We've always relied on each other first, only each other."

"Is it that much of a surprise that we've had to mature quicker than most?" The oldest asked with a tired look. Mia's eyes softened considerably, and she offered a kind smile.

"Of course not."

"Now," Kat said after a few beats of silence. She could tell Jess was trying to talk herself out of yelling at Regulus now that wands were away and explanations had been given. "As I was saying, we can help you break into Gringott's, if you like."

"How much did you hear?" Regulus asked stiffly.

"A lot," Kat grinned evilly. "I used to spy on Jess and her friends when they were over at the house. My best friend was a muggle, so I got bored when she had her magical friends over and Lizzy wasn't allowed over. I got bored – there's really not much to read here, it's tragic – and I was curious."

"Why you would offer to help steal something when you don't even know what a Horcrux is amazes me," her sister said in exasperation.

"Cause the art of thievery is interesting?" She suggested with a laugh.

"Don't joke," Jess groaned. "You still owe me a lot of gum."

"And you owe me hundreds of hours watching horses, but I'm never going to get that back, am I?" Kat replied lightly. She really hated that horse movie.

"You two do that a lot," Harry said, slightly amused and slightly exasperated.

"Do what?" They asked together, turning to look at him in unision. He shuddered.

"That's creepy," Ron commented. "And I grew up with the twins."

"Distract each other," Harry told them, ignoring Ron's accurate observation.

"Oh," Kat blushed. "Yeah. But she's just so easy to annoy."

"You're easier," Jess rolled her eyes. "You yell about anything."

"I do not!" Kat huffed.

"Case and point."

"Can we get back to the subject?" Regulus asked the slightly annoying girls. They shared a look before Kat shrugged.

"We heard plenty, and… we do owe you guys our lives, I guess. Plus, this seems fun."

"Why do you think you can do it?" Harry asked. Mia nodded, wanting to know also.

"Because… well, have you met us? We're the best team there is," Jess said smugly. Kat grinned and moved beside her sister, draping an arm around her shoulder. Jess wrapped her arm around the girl's waist and even when they were so seemingly relaxed, they looked extremely intimidating together. Alone, they seemed easier to handle. But like this… the idea of fighting them made Harry fidget nervously.

"And I love a challenge," Kat added. "And proving people wrong. And we're a Ravenclaw/Slytherin duo offering their most excellent and invaluable help to a team of Gryiffindors."

"Hey!" Regulus protested. Kat looked him over carefully before shrugging. She wasn't going to take it back.

"What would you suggest?" Mia asked. The girls grinned.

"Glad you asked," they told her together.

And so they began to plan.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **Yeah! So, I do love Kat and Jess. They'll be joining our team a bit. At first I thought it would be too much, but they'll be important. Not like, main characters like Mia and Reg, but important.**

 **This chapter was brought to you by incessant nagging from my dear beta. You can thank her for it being finished at all.**

 **Note to Beta: I hope you enjoyed the bit about the gum, you brat. I've decided my debt is void with this chapter.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and remember to review!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Quick reminder that as much as I wish I could own Harry Potter, I don't happen to have that luck. No, my luck usually includes falling on my face at 4am because a bug tried to fly up my nose and I squirmed my way off my bed.**

 **Anyway, enjoy!**

 **Edit: so it has been forever since I wrote this, and I am not going over it at the moment, since I don't have time, but your patience has been and will continue to be very much appreciated.**

 **I'll look this over later and hopefully won't need to edit!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Thirty Four**

October 14th, 1997

"Couldn't we have just asked him for help?" Ron whined again. Kat shot him an annoyed look, but it was Mia who answered him.

"No. They had a point. He'll betray us in the blink of an eye. I don't like the Imperius any better than you do, but it's necessary," she told him. Regulus rubbed his head tiredly. There had been bickering ever since those girls walked in, and he was getting tired of it.

"Quiet," Jess hissed. She and Kat were under the Cloak with Harry, while Regulus, Avery, and Griphook had been put under heavy disillusionment and notice me not charms. It wouldn't hold forever, but it would do. Mia had Polyjuiced herself into Bellatrix, and had the witches wand. Ron was one of the Snatchers that Bella had killed.

They approached the building, but Mia put an arm out to stop them. "Let's go over the plan again."

"We get in through the back," Avery said quietly. "And get help to Bellatrix's vault."

"There is a good chance that we'll pass the Fool's Waterfall," Jess warned them. "In which case, we will have to be as quick as possible."

"Our vaults are down there," Kat told them. "And there's a dragon. I believe we'll have to get past it, which should be easy enough. Once we're past it, it should be easy enough to get in, grab the cup, and get out of the vault."

"If the alarms are going, we won't be able to go back the way we came," Jess told them. "So, who here has an heir ring?"

Kat, Harry, Mia, and Avery raised their hands. Jess smiled. "And I have my Head ring. Long ago when these rings were made, they were made into portkeys that can pass any anti-transportation magic. It'll take you to safety. If we need to get out and there is no other way possible, we can use these. Ron, Regulus, you'll have to grab onto the person closest to you."

"Where will we go?" Ron asked.

"To the safest family hideout," Kat told them. "In mine and Jess's case, we'd end up at Miles Manor. I'd guess that Mia and Harry would go to the rumored Potter Manor…" she paused before looking at Mia. "Whose family ring do you have?"

"Er- Potter, Dumbledore, and Black."

"Holy shit," Kat said with a grin. "So whatever property is safest between those three Houses."

"Potter Manor," Mia said with a soft smile. "I looked over the properties Dumbledore had. None of them are under a Fidelius – not even a Death Fidelius."

"Right, so you'd go there. Let's not count on being so split up, though, alright?" Jess said. They all agreed easily. Being split up was the last thing they needed.

"But in case we are…" Mia said, digging in her beaded bag. She pulled out six galleons and passed them out, one to each person. "We can send messages through these."

"I heard about these," Kat said with a wistful smile. "They're for the DA aren't they?"

"Yeah," Harry replied with a frown. How had she learned of them?

"Anyways," Regulus said, bringing their attention back to the plan. "Let's hope we can get out without being split up, yeah?"

"Yeah. Everyone ready?" Mia asked. Everyone nodded a bit, and they walked into the bank. It was an agonizing walk to the goblin for all of them. Mia thankfully looked graceful as ever in the heels she was wearing, a fact that she guessed had something to do with the practice she had at the Ball. She cleared her throat to get the goblin's attention.

"I wish to enter my vault," she told him in a demanding voice.

"Identification?" He mumbled, not looking up. Mia pulled on her inner Slytherin.

"I hardly think that necessary," she snarled. He looked up at her in shock before recognition settled in.

"Madame Lestrange," he greeted. He turned from his desk to do something, and she frowned.

"I don't like to be kept waiting!" She told him impatiently, arms crossed in faux annoyance.

"They know," Jess whispered nervously. "They know it's not Bellatrix." Ron glanced nervously back at the seemingly empty space for a moment before turning back to Mia, trying to ignore the guard walking toward them.

"Kat," he hissed. "What do we do?"

Jess nudged her sister to keep her quiet. The girl had very little control over her volume when she was nervous. "Imperio!" She muttered, waving her wand at the goblin at the desk. Kat rubbed her head as a headache came on. Now they'd both cast an Unforgiveable on a goblin.

The goblin smiled at her in a daze. "Come, Madame Lestrange. If you will follow me."

Everyone let out a nervous sigh of relief. That had been a bit too close. They followed the goblin slowly and made their way to the cart, all of them piling in in a slightly unsafe manner after removing the charms and the cloak; there was no need now. The cart pulled away, speeding along the unsafe tracks.

Griphook drove the cart, his eyes glazed over very slightly. They went over some falling water, and Kat swore loudly and colorfully for a long moment. Harry gave her an alarmed look, and she heaved a sigh.

"We're passing the waterfall! We'll be revealed! Get your wands out!" She told them all, yelling over the sounds of the cart and running water. The six of them pulled their wands, and they flew through the waterfall. They were all soaked as the cart skidded to a jerky stop. Kat continued swearing loudly, and Jess didn't bother to tell her to stop.

A red light popped up from the cart and spun around in circles. The alarm sounded, and they covered their ears at what sounded like monkeys screaming. Not a moment later, the bottom of the cart gave out, and all of them fell out.

They screamed loudly as they fell down, but Mia had her wand out. "Arresto Momentum!" She screamed. They all froze about a foot from the ground before falling on their faces.

"Merlin!" Ron said loudly. They all scrambled to their feet and watched as the cart flew away. The goblin walked over to Mia, glaring daggers at her.

"What the devil are all you doing down here?!" He yelled as Griphook got to his feet as well. "Thieves!"

Kat and Jess shared a look before they each cast the Imperius once more. Both goblins physically relaxed and fell silent. Avery shot them a thankful look.

"What now?" Harry asked.

"Now we hurry," Mia told them as she moved through the entrance near them. Her eyes widened in horror at the chained dragon lying in the room. "He looks awful!"

"We really don't have time to help him," Regulus told her patiently. Griphook grabbed a rattle and walked dazedly through the room, shaking it, while the dragon whined in pain, covering its head with its wings. Mia winced at the sight but followed silently.

They made it to the vault quickly enough. Jess pressed the elder goblin's hand against the door, and it opened with a ripple. They slid into the room quickly, the door closing behind them.

"Lumos Maxima," Mia said loudly, shooting light at the ceiling. Harry wandered away from the group, looking at every pile critically.

"It's in here," he said quietly. "I can feel it." Mia went to walk to him, but stumbled into a plate on a table. It fell and shoot violently before four more split from the original. Mia backed up from it, hitting Ron, who stumbled into a cup. That fell as well, multiplying. Harry ignored them, pointing up at a cup. "That's it!"

"That curse," Griphook said in a light voice. "Everything you touch will multiply."

Kat and Jess shared a look, and the older girl ran to Harry to help while the younger worked on herding everyone into the middle of the walkway and out of the way of the multiplying objects. Avery and Regulus flanked Mia and Ron stood by the Slytherin girl. Jess had reached Harry and was helping him climb up a large pile. The objects were multiplying alarmingly fast, and the group at the bottom was trying to move back to the door carefully. Jess had dropped the Imperius while she was climbing, so Griphook growled angrily and opened the door, running from the room.

Jess yelled to Harry to avoid the candelabra in front of him, but he hit it anyways. The thing shook hard before falling on a large stack of cups. Harry cursed and grabbed for whatever was in front of him, grateful when he felt Jess giving him a boost. With Jess's help, they made it to the cup in moments, but everything was multiplying too fast. He cursed as he felt himself being pulled down under.

Jess watched in panic as the savior of the wizarding world drowned in multiple hideous cups. What a way to go. She took a deep breath, pulling on her inner Gryffindor, and dove down to him, pulling him up and out. She had just enough time to shove him down the hill of aggressively multiplying and hideous heirlooms before she was overcome by them.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Kat watched in horror as Harry and her sister were attacked by inanimate objects. Her gut twisted as her sister launched herself to the man and saved him. She tried to run forward, knowing that her sister couldn't get out of there alone, but she felt a pair of arms wrap around her tightly. She screamed angrily and hit and kicked Avery, but he was stronger than her. He held her tight against his chest, and she saw her big sister shove Harry down the mountain.

It was the last straw. She refused to let her sister die in this room – she refused to let her sister die in this _war_. She screamed in pure anguish and felt her knees buckle. She fell to the ground, Avery going down with her, as a blinding and violently hot light circled the room. She knew what she'd done. It wasn't their usual twin magic – no, this was special. She felt her heir ring burning her finger and she gripped Avery's arm painfully tight, but he kept good hold of her.

It was merely a moment later when the room fell silent. It was empty now, or as empty as it was when they came in. All the multiplied objects had gone. Everyone was standing behind her and the man holding onto her. In front of her was a brilliant, glowing blue wolf, gently holding a girl in its mouth. It was huge, and she barely acknowledged it as she gasped for air and broke free of Avery. The wolf set the girl down gently on the floor, and Jess looked up at her in shock. She looked physically fine aside from a few cuts and bruises.

There was a long beat of silence before Regulus spoke, his voice gentler than he'd ever used when speaking to them before. "I'm glad you're alright, but we need to go."

"Right," Avery said, standing up. He offered Kat and Jess each a hand and they accepted, pulling themselves off the ground. "How do we want to get out? They'll be coming."

"I have an idea," Kat said quietly.

"No," her sister said.

"Let's ride the dragon," she offered, ignoring Jess.

"That's insane!" Ron told her.

"Not… really," Mia said, head tilted. "It could work in theory."

"And weren't you worried about the poor creature?" Kat pointed out to Mia. She gave a small nod and grinned at everyone.

"I think we should ride the dragon."

"This is insane," Regulus said with a groan. Harry was silent, standing close to Jess and very carefully not looking at her.

"But it'll work," Kat said happily.

It wasn't very hard for them to get on the dragon. Mia jumped on first and held up a shield to block the curses and hexes coming their way while everyone else piled on. After Mia went Regulus, then Kat, then Avery, then Jess, then Harry, and finally Ron. Ron sent a Reducto at the chains, and the dragon roared happily at its freedom.

It took off quickly, pushing its way through the ceiling. They were out.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Harry groaned in pain, his hands flying to his scar to hold his head. The water stung his skin, but he couldn't pull himself from its depths.

 _Voldemort screamed in anger, killing the guard in front of him easily. His eyes flashed dangerously. He was enraged._

Harry twisted in the water, the rage burning at his scar. He thought he saw someone swimming toward him, but he was pulled back into the vision.

 _Dumbledore touching the ring echoed through his head. Voldemort threw another Killing Curse, not caring who he hit. It hit a target, and there was a thud as a Goblin fell._

Someone touched his arm, and his head shook uncontrollably. He gasped for air, but water filled his lungs.

 _The diary… the locket… the ring… he screamed once more and killed three more goblins. No! This couldn't be happening!_

An arm wrapped around him, and Harry could feel himself being dragged to the surface.

 _Harry in the chamber… Mia stabbing the locket… Voldemort let out another yell, and this one caused a bout of accidental magic to explode a man like he had been strapped to a bomb._

There was some kicking, and he felt himself being pulled to dry land.

 _Hogwarts… the Grey Lady… the Ravenclaw flag… The cup being pulled from the vault… Jess helping him to safety… Another Killing Curse shot._

Someone was yelling his name. He felt something press hard against his chest. Pump. Pump. Pump. Nothing.

 _Voldemort looked around the room in horror._

Lips touched his and he felt air fill his lungs for a moment. It was gone. It happened again, and he felt the water in his throat jump out of his mouth. It burned like he was throwing up.

 _He knew._

He felt someone sigh in relief, and felt someone else, a girl, hug him tightly to her.

 _He knew._

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Harry woke with a start, and Jess gave a squeak of surprise, jumping back. He stared at her for a long moment. "How are you?" She asked.

"I- Fine," he told her truthfully. He glanced around and saw Mia pulling clothes out of her beaded bag. They were all still soaked. "How long was I out?"

"Only a couple of minutes," she said. "You nearly drowned. What was that? It looked like the seizures my dad gets."

"I… it wasn't. Was that you that gave me CPR?"

"Yeah," she shrugged lightly, but there was a small blush on her cheeks. "Kat and I went to this muggle camp and we had to learn a lot of first aid every year before we went."

"You've saved my life twice today," he said quietly. She snorted indelicately, and he raised an eyebrow at her. She just sighed and looked at him seriously.

"I don't really believe that you're the Chosen One, but Vol- You-Know-Who does. That means that you have a greater chance of killing him than any of us do, and you seem to be taking that very seriously." She paused to glance over at the group changing their clothes. "We deserve a better world than the one that monster is going to give us if he wins."

"I owe you two life debts, Jessica Miles," he told her softly, suddenly amazed by how deeply brown her eyes were.

"I don't care much for life debts, Harry," she replied.

"Harry!" Mia called, walking over. Harry looked up and offered her a smile. "Oh, thank god you're okay."

"He knows," Harry said quietly. They could all be glad later. "Mione, he knows about the Horcruxes."

"He does?" Mia asked, eyes wide. "Oh no…"

"We need to go to Hogwarts," he said firmly. "There's one there."

"Are you sure?" Jess asked. "It'll be hard to get around and find it."

"I'm sure," he confirmed. "Do you know any way in?"

"I do!" Kat called as she pulled on a hoodie. It got stuck on her head and Jess snorted, but Avery helped her adjust it. She cleared her throat and shook that off. "I know where to go."

"Great," Avery said. "Where?"

"Uh… we need to get to Hogsmeade."

"Hogsmeade?" Regulus asked loudly. "There must be patrols there."

"I know," Kat snapped. "But unless you've got some magic plan to get into the castle, we have to go through Hogsmeade!"

Harry, Ron, Avery, and Regulus all turned to Mia. She shook her head once. "No. I will not make him remember. It's not the right time."

"Mia, we don't have-,"

"We do have a choice!" She snapped. "We can make it through Hogsmeade!"

"So," Kat continued. "I suggest we Apparate there. Outside Tomes and Scrolls, maybe, and then disillusionment. We have to make it to the Hog's Head."

"Why?" Harry asked in shock. Kat tilted her head at him.

"Aberforth is helping out," she explained. "He's the only way in now."

"Well, then let's go," Avery said. He offered her his arm and she smiled at him gently, taking it. Everyone paired up - Mia went with Ron and Regulus, and Harry went with Jess – and apparated outside of Tomes and Scrolls. Disillusionment spells were cast quickly as the Caterwauling Charm exploded into the village.

They made quick work of getting to the Hog's Head. Mia opened the door and they slipped in quietly. Dropping the disillusionment charms, they faced an annoyed Aberforth. He glanced around the room in frustration.

"Come on, then," he said, waving them to a back room. He offered them all tea and cookies, and turned to a painting, muttering softly to it while they ate. The girl in the painting nodded and walked down the country road, disappearing at the end. The old man turned to the group.

"We just need to get to Hogwarts," Harry said softly. "We'd really appreciate any help you can offer."

"Why?" Abe asked. Mia stared at him.

"We have to help. We have to-,"

"To save everyone?" He asked her darkly. She nodded shortly as Regulus wrapped a protective arm around her. "Why? We're not going to win – we're not going to live through this bloody war. The Order has lost. You-Know-Who has won. Anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves. I've given up hope and I suggest you do, too."

"We won't," Mia snapped.

"Nice job my brother's given you," Aberforth replied sarcastically. "Easy, is it? Safe? Tell me, did he ever care about your safety? He gave you this job, yeah? Hunting these Horcruxes?"

"It doesn't matter what Dumbledore did," Mia told him sharply. "We're not acting on his orders anymore. We're doing what we need to do. I- we refuse to abandon the entire wizarding world. We know how to end this. We have to end it."

"He trusted me to see this through," Harry added.

"What makes you think you can trust him?" Aberforth snapped.

"I don't know what sad brother issues you have," Kat started angrily. "But put them aside! This is a bloody war, Aberforth, and you cannot disregard thousands – millions – of people just because you're bitter! You could do so much good but instead you're telling the people willing to risk their lives to save yours to go home. I suggest you either let us through so we can help save the world or get out of the way."

"It doesn't matter what you say," Ron told him. "We made up our minds a long time ago."

"I see," Aberforth said stiffly. He looked up and watched as the girl came back down the road, a boy in tow, and stopped at the painting. The painting swung open and Neville walked out. Mia let out a happy noise of surprise and moved to him, wrapping him up in a hug.

"Oh, it's so good to see you!" He told them, patting Mia's back. She moved away to let Harry and Ron do their man hug thing. Everyone made their way to the painting, but Mia stopped to look back at Aberforth.

"We'll be there fighting for you. Thank you for the help and food." She turned and joined her friends, listening as they talked and made their way through the dark tunnel.

"How's it like with Snape as Headmaster?" Ron asked Neville. Neville gave a small shrug, stepping over a large rock.

"Hardly ever see him. He's holed up in his office. I heard the Carrows – that's who you need to look out for – saying he refuses to speak to them." Mia felt her heart squeeze, but remained silent. She felt Regulus's presence behind her and relaxed slightly.

It wasn't long before they reached the end. Neville pushed open the portrait and announced he'd brought a surprise. He jumped down from the perch and Harry walked out, Ron at his side. Next came Kat and Jess, and finally Avery, Mia, and Regulus. Cheers sounded throughout the large room and everyone formed a loose circle around them all, Neville running off to the back to inform Potterwatch that the trio and company had arrived.

"So, what do you need?" Dean asked the seven friends when it had quieted.

"Er-," Harry said awkwardly, his eyes begging Mia to take over. She sighed but nodded.

"We're looking for an object," she told them. "Something that belonged to Ravenclaw, something important. It'll have to be small and easy to hide. He wouldn't want to risk anyone stumbling upon it on accident."

"It could be Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem," Luna suggested, gently pushing her way to the front of the group. There was a long beat of silence before she looked around the room, slightly confused. "The lost diadem? Hasn't anyone heard of it? It's quite famous."

"Yes, but Luna, it's lost," Cho told her. Luna simply gave a serene smile. "For centuries now. There isn't a person alive who's seen it."

"We'd considered that," Ron told them with a shrug. The doors creaked open and Ginny ran in, stopping in front of them. She stared at Harry with wide eyes.

"Harry," she breathed. Jess looked at her and then at Kat. Her little sister got the point and glared at the red haired witch.

"What is it, Ginny?" Neville asked, hoping to avoid an awkward encounter.

"Snape knows," she said. Mia's eyes widened. "Someone spotted Harry in Hodsmeade."

"How?" Kat asked in frustration. "We were so careful!"

"Yes, but it wasn't a perfect plan," Mia reminded her. "We knew it was entirely possible we'd be spotted." Kat heaved a sigh but stayed quiet.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Severus groaned, grabbing his head. Something was wrong. Something was missing. He could feel it tickling the surface, but he couldn't reach it. He'd tried using Occlumency, but it hadn't worked. Nothing was working.

He took some breaths, trying to calm himself. There was a tsking noise from the wall and he watched Dumbledore looking down at him with sad eyes. "What?" He snarled.

"I've told you, my boy, it will come with time," the old man said. Severus scowled at him.

"And I've told you, I need to know now!" He repressed a cringe. He sounded like a whiny child.

"This is for everyone's safety," Albus told him sharply. "This is because of someone you hold very dear, and you promised her you would not scratch at the protections she put up."

"Lily?" Severus asked in a breath. Albus didn't act like he'd heard the question at all, and Severus switched tactics. "They're here."

"What will you do, my boy?"

"Wait. I will wait fifteen minutes before informing the Dark Lord."

"Good," Albus breathed. "Good. They will have time to plan."

"That is the hope."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Everyone had taken their places. Kat was back in her Slytherin robes, much to her sister's dismay, and her sister had borrowed some Ravenclaw robes from Cho. Mia had grabbed her own Gryffindor clothing from her beaded bag, and Avery and Regulus had refused to wear anything but Gryffindor.

Everyone was standing with their Houses as Snape walked up. He stood with the Carrow twins flanking him. He began talking, and Mia's mind was racing. She was with him, he was right there. She could remind him. She could have him back. She could-

Regulus squeezed her hand gently, though his eyes were on Snape. She could see the sadness in her boyfriend as well, and she knew that if she risked a look at Avery, he'd be even worse off. It was awful, but she forced herself to listen as if it weren't one of her closest friends threatening her brother's life.

"…sighted in Hogsmeade." There was a soft shift as everyone processed this information. "Now, should anyone – student or staff – attempt to aid Mister Potter, they will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression. Furthermore, any person found to have knowledge of these events who fails to come forward will be treated as equally guilty."

There was a harsh pause as everyone let that soak in.

"Now then," he said, walking forward. "If anyone here has knowledge of Mister Potter's movements this evening, I invite them to step forward now." His eyes swept the Slytherin House and Kat's breath caught as he blinked in slight shock upon seeing her. He moved on, though, and looked through the other Houses. He was just watching Ravenclaw when they moved forward. The seven friends moved away from their Houses and into the middle of the Hall. Harry was in the middle with Ron and Mia on either side. Behind them were Avery, Regulus, Kat, and Jess. Everyone else had met up with the Order.

The school gasped collectively and watched as the intimidating group faced off against Snape. "It seems, despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a security problem, Headmaster." He smirked slightly as the doors burst open and the Order of the Phoenix made their way into the hall.

Kingsley stood in front with Remus and Sirius to his right and Bill to his left. On Bill's other side was Fluer, the twins, Tonks, Andromeda, and Ted. On Remus and Sirius's other side was Neville, Dean, Seamus, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Behind the group stood Ginny, Luna, Cho, and everyone else that had been holed up in the Room. "I'm afraid it's quite extensive."

Mia didn't hear Harry yelling at Snape. Her eyes locked onto Fred's and he offered her a sweet smile, the one he always gave her when she needed support. Her heart fluttered happily and she smiled back gratefully before she let her eyes sweep the others, checking to make sure they were okay. Everyone looked more or less alright, and she felt something in her sag in relief. She had been so worried.

"…a man who trusted you, and killed him! Tell them!" Harry yelled. Mia screamed when Snape pulled his wand, and the man looked at her in confusion for a moment. It was a long moment where a big part of her wanted to tell him, but she knew it wasn't right.

Minerva pushed them behind her and pulled her wand against Severus while the other students pushed themselves to the side. The Order, the Seven, Minerva and Severus, and the Carrows were left standing in the middle of the Hall. Minerva shot the first hex and Severus's eyes filled with sadness for the briefest moment as he put up a shield, easily deflecting the hex. They quietly dueled for a few moments before Snape made his exit after the Carrow twins were hit because of his shield.

Cheering broke out and Minerva shot flames into the room, lighting it up. Harry and his friends smiled at the sight in front of them for a few long moments. Mia grabbed Regulus happily and kissed him soundly, only stopping when she heard Avery gasp in surprise. They broke apart to see Kat kissing their friend hard on the lips, and Mia couldn't help but laugh as Avery tried to reciprocate but couldn't figure out what to do with his arms. She glanced back at the girl's sister and saw Jess laughing openly at the scene, her eyes filled with happiness and mild disgust.

It was all broken apart by a little girl's scream. The entire Hall fell silent as a girl in the back began to scream painfully. Mia and her friends made their way over and the crowd parted to show the first year Hufflepuff curled on the ground with her back to the wall, holding her head and screaming in pain. They went to approach her when another scream pierced the room. Then another one came, then another.

Harry fell to the ground, rubbing his painfully burning scar.

" _I know that many of you will want to fight_ ," a voice said. Mia knew it was in their heads, but it was in everyone's head. " _Some of you may even think to fight is wise. But this is a folly. Give me Harry Potter_ ," Voldemort demanded. " _Do this, and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have one hour_."

There was silence for a long minute after that. No one dared move until a Slytherin girl – Pansy Parkinson – moved forward from the crowd and pointed at Harry. "What are you waiting for?! Someone grab him!"

Jess's eyes grew wide and she stepped in front of Harry before Ginny could. Kat joined her side and the girls pointed their wands at the Slytherin.

"Not again, you selfish bitch," Kat snarled. She and Jess raised their wands and each shot a spell, a brilliant orange light erupting. The spells hit Parkinson in the chest, and soon she had been Transfigured into a teacup. Kat smirked as she walked over, picking it up.

"Wonderful, Lady Miles, Miss Miles," McGonagall said to them. Kat grinned at the woman and smashed the cup to the ground, shattering it. "Ten points to Slytherin, and another ten to Ravenclaw."

"Professor McGonagall," Jess said with a laugh. "I'm not even in school anymore."

"Students out of bed!" Filch yelled, running into the Hall with Mrs. Norris in his arms. "Students in the corridor!"

"They are supposed to be out of bed, you blithering idiot!" Professor McGonagall said in exasperation. Filch blinked in surprise at her.

"Oh. Sorry, ma'am."

"As it happens, Mr. Filch, your arrival is most opportune. If you would, I would like you please to lead Slytherin house – except Miss Miles – from the Hall."

"Exactly where is it I'll be leading them to, ma'am?" He asked her.

"The dungeons will do," she informed him with a pleased smirk. Some cheers erupted from the hall, and Harry moved away from Jess and a frustrated Ginny to talk to the Headmistress. "I assume there is something you need to do, Mister Potter, what is it? What do you need?"

"I need time," he told her desperately. She nodded briskly. He turned toward his friends again, but she grabbed his arm. He looked at her and she offered a kind smile.

"Potter," she said, her voice soft. "It's good to see you."

"It's wonderful to see you, Professor."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"This is brilliant," Regulus said, following Mia and Ron through the chamber. "I know you said it was real, but to see it…"

"Yes, Reg, it's absolutely wonderful," Mia snapped. "Can we hurry up? I want to get- oof!" She gasped as she ran into Ron. He'd stopped in front of a large door that had metal snakes all over it.

"This is it," he told them.

"Then let's go destroy it," Mia said gravely.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"You're actually giving us permission to do this?" Neville asked, amazed.

"That is correct, Longbottom," Minerva picked up her skirts and shuffled down the steps and out of the castle.

"To blow it up?" Neville asked. "Boom?"

"Boom!" The witch agreed. Seamus snorted at his Head of House but otherwise stayed silent.

"How on earth are we gonna do that?!" Neville asked, a panic settling through him as he thought of his idea once more.

"I believe Mister Finnegan has a history with pyrotechnics," she said.

"I can bring it down!" Seamus exclaimed gleefully.

The Headmistress waved them off and they left, ready to take down the bridge.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Don't!" Regulus snapped, grabbing Mia before she could move to the Cup. "You are _not_ killing another one."

"It's fine," she insisted, trying to pull her arm away with no luck. Had he always been this strong? "I'll be fine."

"No you won't," Regulus told her sharply. "The last time, you saw your dead brother and me and Avery telling you a lot of fucking shit that isn't real, not to mention Sirius and Remus and Lily. You are not killing another one!"

"I agree with him, Mione," Ron said softly, gently pulling the fang from her grip. She let her shoulders droop in defeat, but said nothing more. Ron didn't bother asking Regulus to do it, he just attacked the cup.

There was a flash of people – Harry, Mia, Ginny, Lavender, his parents – and a few cruel words, but it was over much quicker than it had been for the cup. Mia had guessed it was because the locket had been with them so long, and they'd been wearing it. It had probably leeched off of their magic.

When it was dead, the three looked at each other for a few silent beats. Only three more to go.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Protego Maxima, Fianto Duri, Repello Inimicum," Molly chanted along with Slughorn, Flitwick, McGonagall, and her husband. It was going to be a long night.

The marble suits of armor marched to defend the school.

They wouldn't hold Him forever. No, he would come. But they would do their damndest to protect who they could for as long as they could.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Harry!" Jess yelled, chasing after the boy. It wasn't an easy task, running up a spiral staircase while people were running down it in panic.

"I'm a bit preoccupied!" He yelled back. Her eyes widened and she huffed.

"Harry Potter, you come here right now! Don't be an idiot," she scolded. He stopped suddenly and turned back to her in surprise. She let out a breath of relief and met him halfway. "You're looking for the diadem."

"Yes," he confirmed slowly.

"Go to the Grey Lady. She would be the last person to have seen it," she told him. He blinked as he processed this information and nodded slowly.

"Thanks, Jess."

"Come back alive, alright?" She said, pushing her hair away from her face. "We have some talking to do."

His lips twitched a bit before he nodded and ran off. Jess sighed in victory before turning her attention to helping the younger students find their way to safety.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Luna?" Draco asked in shock. She smiled at him sweetly.

"Don't do it," she said. "Don't help them."

"I- what?"

"If you help them, one will die. If you don't, he will go to prison, but he will be perfectly alive," she told him seriously. He regarded her, looking into her eyes, before nodding curtly.

"Where should I go?"

"Go to your leader, of course."

"I can't!" He exclaimed. "He'd kill me-,"

"Not him," Luna said patiently. "The one you truly care about."

"I- I will," Draco promised. "Get to safety please."

"Oh no," she refused. "I've got more to do."

"You'll be the death of me," he laughed. He had no clue why he worried for her so much, but he did.

"No," she told him with a frown. "I'm going to be your life."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Harry!" Mia yelled. She tucked the Map into her bag and ran with Ron and Reg to her brother. He wrapped her in a quick hug.

"The Room," he told them quickly. "The Diadem is in the Room!"

Regulus nodded curtly and stepped aside. Harry paced in front of the wall until the door appeared. He pulled it open and ran in, groaning as his eyes scanned the large room.

"This is going to take forever," he said.

"Then let's start looking," Mia responded.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Dean followed Kingsley and Remus as Sirius ushered some first year Hufflepuffs out of the castle. They'd tried chaining themselves to the wall, refusing to leave because they wanted to help their friends. Hufflepuffs were loyal, no one could deny that.

"Dean, tell Professor McGonagall that Remus and I've got this side of the castle," Kingsley told the boy. Dean nodded curtly and made to leave, but upon seeing the light hitting the protection around the castle, the Auror called him back. "On second thought, we might need one or two more wands."

Dean nodded and ran off, and Remus turned with his friend to watch as the Death Eaters worked on breaking the protection barrier. "It is the quality of one's conviction that determines success, not the number of followers." Remus said softly, his eyes a glowing amber.

"Who said that?"

"Me."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"I heard you're working on bringing this down," Kat said, walking up next to Neville. He glanced at her and nodded.

"You're Kat Miles," he said. "You're the only Slytherin we let in the Room."

"Yeah," she shrugged. "Want my hand blowing it up? Jess always told me I was a pyromaniac."

"Sure," Neville said with a humorless laugh. "Ready to indulge yourself?"

"Always," she grinned.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"We're never going to find it!" Ron yelled in frustration, throwing a book. Harry groaned. He couldn't deny it. The room was seemingly infinite, and they didn't have time to look through it all.

"I have a really bad idea," Mia announced. Ron blinked at her as Regulus groaned.

"You have plenty of those - if you're announcing it, it has to be bad," he told her. She glared at her boyfriend before waving them all back to the door. Slowly they followed.

"Out," she ordered. They looked at each other, but everyone left, leaving her in the room. She stepped out, leaving the door open, and pointed her wand at a pile of books taller than the four of them put together. "Ready?" She asked them.

There were nervous nods all around.

They were right to be nervous.

The next moment, uncontrollable Fiendfyre shot from her wand, slamming angrily into the books and turning them to less than ash in an instant.

Mia slammed the door shut quickly, and pushed her boys away from it.

"What the hell?!" Regulus screeched – actually screeched – at her. She shrugged sheepishly.

"I thought, well, we know of two ways to kill them. Fiendfyre spreads so quickly and uncontrollably, that it'll get to it soon enough," she explained.

"How do you know it won't leave the room?" Harry demanded. She shrugged again with an expression that said she didn't.

"We'd be dead by now if it did."

"You're awful," Regulus sighed, pulling her tight to his side. A smile slid on her lips.

"Thank you," she replied.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Neville!" Kat screamed. She ran to the edge of the remnants of the bridge and pulled him up as Ginny retrieved his wand. She grabbed him tightly and pulled him ten feet from the edge, touching his head and shoulders and assuring herself the kind boy was fine.

"I'm alright," he laughed. "Come on, let's go."

"How are there so many Death Eaters?" She asked him, her eyes flicking over to the army trying to get through.

"The Order patrol watching the caught Death Eaters was killed. Everyone in custody was taken back. Azkaban was broken into, too. Most people were swayed to fight for Voldemort," Neville informed her.

"Shit," she sighed.

"Let's go," Ginny told them, tugging on Neville's arm and handing him his wand. "We need to get back to the castle."

"Right," Neville said, and they took off.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

An arm swung over the side of the bridge. There was a groan of pain as a man pulled himself onto the remaining bit and laid there for a few moments, regaining his strength.

It was time to fight.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

 **So this was a long one. I wasn't sure how I felt about doing the entire final battle in one chapter…**

 **I dunno. I know my OCs are important quick but that's because they're important. I really hope you like them, and I am sorry if you don't.**

 **I hope you enjoyed and remember to review!**


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